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Bristol Post
Bristol Post
National
Estel Farell Roig

Bristol Clean Air Zone survey suggests majority of people do not agree with scheme

The majority of Bristol Live readers who responded to our survey on the Clean Air Zone do not agree with it. Of the 438 responses received, 59.8 per cent (262 responses) said they didn't concur with the new scheme.

Bristol City Council revealed last month that the CAZ is expected to launch in September. Designed to curb traffic air pollution, the Clean Air Zone will see drivers of older, more polluting vehicles - an estimated 75,000 a day - charged to enter an area of the city centre.

The council has previously said that it estimates that about three in 10 vehicles in Bristol will attract the charges, which were set at £9 for smaller vehicles and £100 a day for larger vehicles. It has also previously said that the city is under a legal duty to introduce a clean air zone to reduce toxic pollution caused by traffic in the shortest possible time.

READ MORE: Land Rover owner describes Clean Air Zone charges as 'absolutely ridiculous'

The Clean Air Zone will be a big change for the city and that is why we launched a survey to find out what our readers' thoughts are on this. Our results also show that most respondents - 70 per cent - think the charges are too high, with 21 per cent saying they are proportionate and seven per cent believing they are too low.

More than one hundred people said they use the car to travel into the city centre, with other common methods of transport being by bus or cycling. One person wrote: "I travel by bus to the centre but need to travel along the Portway and over the Cumberland Basin for work, how this section of road has been added is a disgrace and just a money spinner for the council."

Quite a few people said they do not go into the city centre anymore, while others said they drive because of a disability. "Car due to both mobility issues for my partner, and public transport not being a usable option," said another.

Another person wrote: "I'm a dog walker I use my vehicle.all day. I can no way afford to convert to a electric vehicle.

"I know there are grants available but it is such a small amount compared to the actual cost of say an electric van. Also charging it in my street of Victorian terraced houses. I very often can't park in my own street."

A total of 40 per cent of respondents (183) said they were not worried about the air quality in Bristol, with 28 per cent saying that they are "slightly worried". A further 22 per cent said they are "very worried" - but seven per cent said they didn't know enough about it.

Another person said: "I normally drive my car which is a 2009 diesel Nissan Micra or catch a bus (if it ever turns up!). I support environmental change however targeting private car owners who cannot afford to upgrade their car at this time is awful.

"It should be rolled out more slowly to allow ordinary people to earn the money to change their car rather than rushing it through and destroying the city centre."

Another respondent said: "Drive as I'm an IT field engineer that lives in North Bristol, but work in South Bristol, I have to travel a small portion of the zone on the Portway to get access which is only half a mile long which I feel is ridiculous that I have to pay £9 just to get to work!"

Traffic in Anchor Road, in the city centre, which will be covered by the CAZ (Ben Birchall/PA Wire)

A total of 13 people said they would consider changing their method of transport as a result of the CAZ. One said: "Yes. Because I also want clean air!". And another one said: "The city centre is easier to access than many believe, even across the city."

Among the reasons given why they would not be changing included "bus service cannot be relied upon and does not operate a service that meets my needs."

Another said they would stick with their car as "cycling too dangerous and don't own a bike".

There is still time to fill our survey. Once you've finished filling in the survey you'll have the chance to sign up to two brand new newsletters - Bristol Buzz, covering all of the latest city centre news and views, and Bristol Politics, for your weekly dose of local political updates.

You can also fill the survey here.

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