Enforcement of Birmingham’s new Clean Air Zone has been postponed for two weeks. The scheme was officially introduced yesterday to charge drivers of more polluting cars £8 and non compliant coaches, buses and lorries £50 a day to enter a central cordon.
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But the City Council described yesterday as “a soft launch” and said charges will not now be levied or enforcement pursued until 14 June.
“This is to give people a little extra time to get ready, review the support available and to consider the alternatives to driving through the Clean Air Zone,” a spokesman said.
Birmingham City Council’s cabinet member for transport and the environment Waseem Zaffar said that despite people not having to pay for the next fortnight, “I would encourage everyone to use this time to check their vehicles, familiarise themselves with the charging process and check out the support that is still available through the ‘Brum Breathes’ website”.
At yesterday’s launch he added: “I'm confident that this initiative will save lives and provide a cleaner, greener, safer space for our communities in a part of our city that has a problem with poor air quality.”
But the MP for West Bromwich East, Nicola Richards wrote on Twitter: “I’ve been against this charge from the start. While reducing air pollution is key, taxing residents to travel into the city for work, leisure, shopping, or visiting the hospitals is simply not on. Especially when not all families can afford a new car.”
Environmental law charity ClientEarth’s lawyer Katie Nield welcomed the new Clean Air Zone. She said: “Dirty air has been putting people in serious danger for too long. A Clean Air Zone in Birmingham is a major step forward in tackling the region’s toxic air problem and making the city a healthier and better place to live.”
Motoring group the AA’s spokesman Luke Bosdet said he understands why Birmingham is introducing the new zone, but welcomed the delay in enforcing the charge. He warned, however, that it could be seen as a tax on lower income drivers.
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