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Calls to expand Portsmouth Clean Air Zone and vehicle list

BBC Cars in trafficBBC
Campaigners are calling for the clean air zone's boundary to be expanded and the list of fined vehicles increased

Less than 0.2% of vehicles that drove into Portsmouth's Clean Air Zone (CAZ) faced a charge in its first year of operation, new figures show.

The zone, introduced in November 2021, fines high-polluting HGVs, buses, coaches, taxis and private hire vehicles when entering the city centre.

Cars, vans and old diesel cars are exempt from the fine.

Campaigners are calling for a larger zone area and list of vehicles, and have said the scheme is "watered down".

Clean air zone road sign
The zone was introduced to part of Portsmouth in November 2021 and covers an area of about 3km

The data, from Portsmouth City Council, shows 1,958,526 vehicles entered Portsmouth's Clean Air Zone between 29 November 2021 and 29 November 2022.

Of those vehicles, 217,493 were eligible to pay a charge and more than 6,000 drivers who failed to pay the fine received a Penalty Charge Notice.

Tim Sheerman-Chase from campaign group Let Pompey Breathe said: "London Road is just outside the clean air zone, but regularly has nitrogen dioxide levels above recommended levels.

"We need the zone expanded to include the entire island and more types of vehicles, particularly diesel cars and vans."

Tim Sheerman-Chase
Tim Sheerman-Chase from Let Pompey Breathe says central parts of the city are not currently in the clean air zone

The city council monitors nitrogen dioxide levels and particulate matter at more than 150 testing sites across the city.

Data from those tests has been sent to the government for analysis to see whether the the zone has had an impact.

Gerald Vernon-Jackson, cabinet member for transport, said: "We won't know until autumn if the clean air zone has had an effect, but irrespective of this, it is our priority to continue to provide affordable and sustainable forms of transport.

"The government required zone only addresses part of the problem - as shown by the fact that it is a small proportion of vehicles being charged."

Robin Drayton PortsmouthRobin Drayton
Lorries, taxis, coaches and buses are among the vehicles expected to pay a fine for entering the zone

The city council has recently been awarded £653,580 from the government's Active Travel Fund for improvements to walking and cycling routes.

Recent investments include traffic light cameras at helmet level for cyclists on Eastern Road and a tiger crossing on Fawcett Road, meaning motorists have to stop for bikes the same as pedestrians.

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