Emergency service vehicles will have to pay charges to enter Bath's Clean Air Zone from next month, as a four-year exemption comes to an end.
From March 14, police cars, ambulances and fire engines that don't meet emission standards will face daily charges when entering the zone.
Bath and North East Somerset Council has stated that only a limited number of vehicles will be affected by the change.
However, Avon Fire Authority faces significant challenges, with more than half of its fleet currently not meeting the required emission standards.
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Emergency vehicles could soon be slapped with Clean Air Zone fines in Bath
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Bath launched the first charging Clean Air Zone outside London in March 2021, operating 24 hours a day throughout the year.
Non-compliant vans, taxis and minibuses face a daily charge of £9 to enter the zone, while trucks, lorries, coaches and buses that don't meet emission standards must pay £100 per day.
The charges apply to diesel vehicles that are pre-Euro 6/VI and petrol vehicles that are pre-Euro 4. Private cars and motorbikes remain exempt from the Clean Air Zone charges.
According to a report, Avon Fire Authority currently has only 40 CAZ-compliant vehicles in its station-based fleet.
The authority expects 48 per cent of its appliance fleet to achieve compliance by March 2026.
Its specialist operational vehicles are only 21 per cent CAZ compliant, with equipment like turntable ladders not meeting clean air standards until the end of the decade.
The fire service has made progress with its ancillary fleet, operating 26 electric vehicles as of January 2025.
Plans to replace 24 more vehicles will be reviewed in 2025/2026, which would bring the total to 50 zero-emission vehicles and represent 72 per cent of the ancillary fleet, or 37 per cent of the total fleet profile.
In contrast, Avon and Somerset Police is well-prepared for the end of the exemption, having more than 200 hybrid and electric vehicles in its fleet.
Only 66 vehicles are currently subject to the clean air charge, with half of these due for imminent replacement.
Just one non-compliant vehicle is stationed in Bath, with its replacement scheduled before the exemption ends.
Deputy council leader Sarah Warren said the authority had "worked closely with emergency service providers" since the introduction of the CAZ in 2021.
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Negotiations are underway regarding a potential further exemption
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She added that the council was "continuing our conversations" regarding non-compliant vehicles to support changes such as upgrades and retrofitting.
A spokesperson for the fire service confirmed they were in negotiations with the council.
The fire authority is seeking approval for a three-year budget including a £4.8million investment in its fleet.
