Council responds to government's congestion charge order

Coventry council is submitting revised air quality proposals in a bid to avoid a government-imposed Clean Air Zone. 

The authority said the revision includes “evidence based on updated modelling work”, but it has given no further detail on what other measures have been put forward in the plan in order to avoid charging motorists entering the city.

Additional ‘technical reports’ will also be submitted to the government over the next two weeks, a spokesman for the council said.

Watch: Clean Air Zone explained

The authority was set a deadline of today (Friday, June 14) to respond to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, which has ordered a Class D charging zone to ensure the legal limit value for nitrogen dioxide is achieved in the shortest possible time, and by 2023 at the latest.

Cllr Jim O’Boyle, cabinet member for jobs and regeneration, said: “The public know our position – that a charging zone is not needed in Coventry – however, if the government press ahead with this folly, we will strongly argue for all private vehicles and small commercial vehicles to be exempt from any charge anywhere.  

“We will also argue that the smallest area possible would be affected thus making our city accessible and open.

“It is our belief that a zone, on the scale the government are calling for, would impact 82,000 residents or 25 per cent of our population.  

“Worse still, there are no suitable diversionary routes unlike Birmingham, where the ring road offers a good alternative route.  

“In Coventry we would end up creating worse air quality on many residential roads bordering the charging zone.   

“Roads in the city where there are air quality concerns can be resolved without charging.”

Coventry’s measures to achieve compliance include a combination of road improvements, traffic management, travel planning and use of electric vehicles.

The final action plan to reduce levels of nitrogen dioxide will go to consultation and will be submitted to government by September 27.

 

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