Update on the Bradford Clean Air Zone

Clean Air Zones (CAZ) have featured heavily in automotive news in recent years. They’re basically specific areas around the UK which are subject to specific measures, designed to improve the quality of the air. The Ultra Low Emissions Zone in London is the most notable example.

There’s always something going on with the different CAZs dotted around the UK, and here at Intack Self Drive, we know that whether you’re a fleet manager looking to temporarily expand your fleet with daily van hire, or you’re just an individual looking for a reliable car hire service, you need to be kept up to date with all the latest news regarding Clean Air Zones. So, here’s what’s going on in Bradford…

The Bradford CAZ is now live

The Bradford Clean Air Zone is now live, and drivers of older polluting vans, minibuses and taxis will now have to pay a fee to enter Bradford city centre. These changes will only apply to commercial vehicles and not private ones. Affected vehicles to enter the Bradford city centre include Euro 6 diesel (vehicles registered after September 2015) and Euro 4 petrol (vehicles registered after 2005), and non-compliant vehicles will now be charged £9 (£7 for taxis) upon entry into the city centre.

The reasoning behind these new restrictions is put down to the fact If all this sounds a little strict, there’s a reason for it! Basically, air pollution levels in Bradford have now breached the legal limits imposed by the government. The introduction of the CAZ is expected to reduce the nitrogen dioxide (NO2) content in the air by 35%, and the carbon dioxide (CO2) content by 147,000 tonnes, bringing levels back within legal limitations.

What’s the impact going to be?

The Bradford council has stated that the introduction of the CAZ will help to improve the health of those who attend and work in Bradford schools in particular. It’s currently estimated that the poor air quality is associated with 33% of childhood asthma cases in Bradford, and Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe, leader of Bradford Council, has said that “air pollution levels are too high and have damaging impacts on the health of too many of our residents.”

She also made the point that the CAZ has been specifically designed to exempt private cars, motorbikes, and local business, and serves as a means of stopping polluting commercial vehicles from outside the district from using Bradford as a de facto motorway.

As it stands, 92% of taxis in Bradford are already compliant with the new guidelines, as are over 370 buses that operate within the city. The council has also said that any revenue from the introduction of the Bradford CAZ will be reinvested in further programmes in the district to reduce harmful emissions.

So that’s the latest on the Bradford CAZ! Whether you’re a fan of them or not, it looks like they’re here to stay. Although the regulations that dictate the ways in which we drive are ever changing, what’s never going to change is the exceptional standard of vehicle rental service that we can offer you here at Intack Self Drive.

All of our rental vehicles here at Intack Self Drive come with the option to rent through daily hire, or our outstanding Flexi hire service, so wherever your intended destination, we’ll have a vehicle that suits your requirements. We’ve got almost half a century of car hire, minibus hire, and van hire experience under our belt here at Intack, and we’re always here to help. Ready to get started? You can browse the best hire deals right here on our site, or give us a call on 0125457811!