Coventry City Council has announced that it will not introduce a Clean Air Zone (CAZ) after the Government confirmed it supported the city council's alternative plan to reduce emissions.
The Council had been under pressure to cut toxic emissions, which has argued strongly against a CAZ, set out a series of measures to reduce Nitrogen Dioxide emissions without the need for a charging zone.
The Government has given the council £24.5m to help reduce pollution in different ways.
The Council will be continuing to consult with local people over the coming weeks and it will need to submit a final full business case by 19 June
The proposals include:
- Improving vehicle capacity on roads as well as pedestrian and cycle routes on the B4106 through Spon End and Junction 7 of the ring road
- Introducing restrictions on the eastern section of the A4114
- Opening Upper Hill Street on to the ring road to give Junction 8 access
- Constructing a cycle route linking Coundon with the city centre along Coundon Road and Upper Hill Street
- Running engagement initiatives (travel planning) for schools, businesses and communities along Holyhead Road Corridor
- Banning HGVs on part of Foleshill Road
- Assigning electric buses to Foleshill Road
Councillor of Coventry City Council Jim O’Boyle said the outcome was “excellent news”. “A CAZ in Coventry would have potentially created worse air quality on many residential roads bordering the charging zone as drivers would have sought alternative routes to avoid the CAZ”, he added.
