Bid to scrap Bradford Clean Air Zone fails as Government orders scheme to go ahead

A bid to have Bradford’s proposed Clean Air Zone scrapped has been blocked by the Government.

The CAZ was originally due to have been implemented in January, and it will now be implemented in the next few weeks, despite attempts by both Labour and Conservative councillors to have the scheme paused or scrapped.

It means drivers of older taxis and private hire vehicles will face a daily charge to drive in the city – at a time when they face huge rises in fuel costs.

Conservative councillors in Bradford this week called for the scheme to be paused, warning it could lead to rising prices and even job losses. They also said the lack of a definite start date for the CAZ was leaving businesses “confused and worried”.

And ruling Labour councillors said they had asked government ministers to ditch the charges altogether. But Labour Councillor Sarah Ferriby said Bradford had been ordered to introduce the CAZ by the Government.

Cllr Ferriby said: “We asked the Government if we could revert to a non-charging zone. We were told no, because there would be zero chance of reaching the air quality levels we need to with it.”

She said “deliberate misinformation” was being spread about the CAZ, and stressed that no private vehicles would be charged.