Drivers to face emission-based parking charges under new council plans

The measures will come into force from October and will be reviewed again the following year.

Under the changes, more polluting vehicles would see fees increase by 2.5 per cent for each more polluting band.

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Drivers of electric cars will be charged 10p more per hour for parking but could go up to 50p more in certain areas.

But notably diesel and petrol cars will see payments go up more with drivers set to pay £2.40 an hour, or up to £2.60 depending on how much their vehicle pollutes.

The changes will also see charges introduced for motorbikes and all other powered two and three wheeled vehicles that must be registered with the DVLA.

These proposals aim to improve air quality through a major shift to sustainable transport, walking and cycling and incentives to reduce the use of more polluting vehicles.

The council said: “The proposals include the introduction of emission-based parking charges to all council-managed paid-for parking areas in following their introduction in Bath car parks in September 2023.

“Emission-based parking means that people with higher polluting vehicles would pay slightly more to encourage a shift to cleaner, more sustainable travel in the area.”

The council explained that one of its key policies and proposals aim to encourage more people to walk, cycle or use public transport.

The emission parking rules would be on top of Bath's Clean Air Zone and Liveable Neighbourhoods policy.

The council added: “Traffic emissions pose a significant threat to clean air. Vehicles with petrol and diesel-based internal combustion engines emit a wide variety of pollutants, such as carbon monoxide, oxides of nitrogen, volatile organic compounds and particulate matter which have an increasing impact on urban air quality.

“Emission-based charging in these locations would follow the structure of the emission-based charges that we introduced across all resident parking schemes in 2022 and car parks in Bath in 2023, following extensive public consultation.”

Under the plans drivers of electric vehicles and those with non-diesel-fuelled internal combustion engines will pay a baseline charge.

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But, for more polluting vehicles, they would be charged more depending on the emissions of their vehicle.

The council explained that the changes would apply to both customers who pay daily and season ticket holders.