Major authority to stop charging certain vehicle type daily fee for breaking climate rules

The decision would have primarily affected Avon Fire and Rescue Service vehicles which under the previous rules would have faced daily charges for entering the zone from March 15.

But having heard calls from the sector, Bath and North East Somerset Council announced an extension of the waiver period, which has been in place since 2021.

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The move comes as more than half of the fire service's fleet remains non-compliant with the zone's emissions standards. To be compliant diesel vehicles need to be at least Euro 6 or newer while petrol vehicles need to be Euro 4 emissions or newer.

Emergency services were initially given a four-year exemption from the Clean Air Zone to invest in more environmentally friendly vehicles, but this was due to expire next month.

Bath became the first city outside London to introduce a Clean Air Zone in 2021, with charges of up to £100 per day for the most polluting vehicles.

The zone was implemented following a ministerial direction in 2017, which required urgent action to tackle air pollution and bring nitrogen dioxide levels within legal limits.

Under the Clean Air Zone scheme, private cars and motorbikes are not charged but non-compliant vehicles face daily fees. Since its launch, air quality in the city has shown improvement, according to council reports.

The zone remains a key element in the council's commitment to improving air quality in Bath, with an expectation that vehicles entering the zone will eventually meet compliance standards.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, it will take Avon Fire and Rescue Service another six years to replace its entire fleet with compliant vehicles.

The council has requested a timeline from the fire service indicating when their fleet will become compliant. But Avon and Somerset Police have made progress in upgrading their vehicles, with half of their 66 non-compliant vehicles due for immediate replacement.

A police spokesperson told the BBC: "For the remainder, we are confident that, by working with the council, we can mitigate any significant cost impact by sending alternate, compliant vehicles into the city whenever possible."

The police force said it has been working closely with the council to source cleaner vehicles and create a "zero-emission police fleet".

A spokesperson for Bath and North East Somerset Council said: "We want to maintain our commitment to improving air quality in Bath and the CAZ is a key element of this work, with an expectation of compliance.

"We have agreed to an extension of the current waiver period on CAZ charges on Avon Fire and Rescue Service vehicles beyond 15 March."

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The CAZ was implemented to tackle air pollution and bring nitrogen dioxide levels down to legal limits. High levels of NO₂ have been linked to major health issues.