Sheffield Clean Air Zone: MP gives support to project

Louise Haigh, MP for Sheffield Heeley, said: “I’m pleased that Sheffield Council is introducing a category C Clean Air Zone in the city centre and inner ring road. We have been warned for some time that the air pollution in parts of Sheffield is a major public health challenge and it’s damaging the health and life chances of our residents. More worryingly, its contributing to the deaths of approximately 500 people each year.

“This is not acceptable, and the introduction of this Clean Air Zone will go some way in reducing the pollutant nitrogen dioxide. Funding will be available for some businesses and drivers to help them upgrade their vehicles to low or zero emission.

“We are days away from COP26 and leaders must take this opportunity to agree coordinated action to address climate change. This is our collective opportunity to pass on a healthy world to the next generation, we must not fail.”

Sheffield Council’s co-operative executive made the historic decision to introduce a Clean Air Zone in a special meeting at the Town Hall this week.

The charging zone will cover the inner ring road and city centre, including Park Square and the A61 / Parkway junction and it will be enforced using automatic number plate recognition cameras.

Taxis and LGVs that do not meet the emission standard will be charged £10 a day and coaches, buses and HGVs will be charged £50 a day to drive in the zone.

Drivers will need to have Euro 6 diesel or Euro 4 petrol engines to avoid the charge.

Just under £24 million was given to deliver Sheffield and Rotherham’s Clean Air Plans. Of that, £3.5 million was allocated from the implementation fund, which will be used for setting up the charging zone and road schemes, and £20.4 million from the Clean Air Fund, which will be used to help drivers upgrade.

A consultation focussing on this financial support will start in November.