£2.5m clean air zone cash still on offer - council

Grants worth a total of about £2.5m are still available for drivers in Bradford who want to invest in "cleaner" vehicles, the council has said.

Drivers of the worst-polluting vehicles have been charged to enter the city centre since a Clean Air Zone (CAZ) was introduced in September 2022.

In a bid to reduce the number of non-compliant vehicles and improve air quality, Bradford Council allocated £31.8m in government funding to the grants scheme, with money for about 350 vehicle owners still available, according to the authority.

The council said it encouraged anyone who was eligible to upgrade their vehicle to apply for a grant.

According to Bradford Council figures, more than 4,625 grants had been paid to vehicle owners to invest in cleaner vehicles over the last two years, which included 520 grants for fully electric vehicle upgrades.

The council said it had seen the number of non-compliant vehicles being driven in the district cut from 4.6% of all journeys in summer 2022 to 1.2% now.

Sarah Ferriby, Bradford Council's executive member for healthy people and places, said: "We are seeing a real improvement in the cleanliness of the vehicle fleet driving around Bradford.

"This is thanks to the vehicle upgrades from residents, businesses, transport operators and licensed taxi companies.

"Since the launch of the CAZ, the number of GP appointments for respiratory and cardiovascular-related illnesses has reduced."

Residents and businesses could apply for grant funding towards a CAZ-compliant vehicle until the remaining cash had been allocated, a council spokesperson said.

Listen to highlights from West Yorkshire on BBC Sounds, catch up with the latest episode of Look North or tell us a story you think we should be covering here.