The Clean Air Zone is part of wider Clean Air Strategy for Bradford and aligns with many other projects being delivered locally, across West Yorkshire and nationally. Some of these are highlighted here with links to further information.
Using public transport means that you can leave your car at home. West Yorkshire Metro can give you lots of information. This includes:
City Connect is a programme boosting the number of people travelling by bike or on foot in West Yorkshire. Activities include offering grants, providing new cycling and walking routes, improving existing infrastructure, and offering a range of free services, such as adult cycle training, support for businesses, schools and grassroots initiatives.
The Council wants to encourage more people to walk, cycle or use public transport instead of the private car. To encourage changes in travel behaviour, the council is investing in bus lanes, improved public transport interchanges and new walking and cycling routes. Other interventions include 20mph zones in residential areas and developing plans to introduce School Street schemes where vehicles are prohibited during peak school journey times.
The Leeds City Region Transforming Cities Fund programme is a major programme of investment (£317 million) that aims to deliver transformational, new infrastructure. Projects across Bradford, Calderdale, Craven, Harrogate, Kirklees, Leeds, Selby, Wakefield and York have been developed to improve people’s access to public transport, cycling and walking. It is essential to reducing reliance on car travel and meeting the Leeds City Region commitment to become a net zero carbon city region by 2038.
Bradford Council supports car sharing. Our staff can use car club vehicles for business travel and we support lift sharing. Enterprise operate a car club with several vehicles available to individuals and businesses. Liftshare operate across West Yorkshire, allowing people travelling within the district to commute together.
Bradford Council supports car sharing and car clubs. There is a West Yorkshire car share scheme that individuals and employers can register with for free. Enterprise operate a car club with several vehicles available within the Bradford district and many nationwide.
Bradford Council has a growing network of electric vehicle (EV) charging points. The network will enable drivers within the district or visiting the area to recharge in our town centres, helping encourage the uptake of electric vehicles. EVs also help to reduce noise pollution are cheap to run, costing around 4p per mile in electricity.
You can find more information about buying an electric vehicle and the location of charging points in the district on our electric vehicle page.
The Council is developing an Advanced Fuel Centre (AFC) at Bowling Back Lane, Bradford. The AFC will provide compressed biomethane fuelling options for light and heavy goods vehicles. Biomethane provides a much cheaper fuel than diesel and can provide an 84% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions.
The landmark Born in Bradford (BiB) research programme, based at Bradford Royal Infirmary, are running a project to determine the actual improvement in health in Bradford District as a result of the Clean Air Zone.
They will also be working with primary school children across the district to measure levels of pollution and how pollution affects our health.
The 'BiB Breathes' study, is funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) within the NHS and Council are key partners to the project.
Stopping unnecessary vehicle idling is one relatively easy way to improve air quality.
The Highway Code says that you must not leave an engine running unnecessarily whilst the vehicle is stationary on a public road. Bradford is one of several authorities who intend to introduce no idling zones, particularly outside schools.
Fines may be issued if a driver refuses to turn off their engines when asked by council officers.
The Council has launched the We Care about Clean Air campaign which offers online resources for schools to help reduce vehicle idling near schools.
Free sustainable travel support to help businesses go greener.
The Travel Plan Network is a free membership scheme for any employer in West Yorkshire who is committed to encouraging their staff to travel to work sustainably.
Benefits include discounted bus and rail travel, support with encouraging active travel such as cycling and walking, support with surveys, car park management and relocation. They can also signpost to our partners where grants are available to improve cycling facilities and EV charging.
Find out how your business can join more than 530 member organisation across West Yorkshire in helping to improve travel options for your employees.
For more information please visit the Travel Plan Network website.
Email [email protected].
As well as anti-idling campaigns near schools, there are many other initiatives which aim to cut school car journeys and increase children's physical activity.
Some local examples include Active Bradford, the City Connect bike-friendly schools award, the national Eco-Schools Award, Bikeability, JU:MP and Walk Once a Week (WOW).
Some schools in Bradford have recently introduced School Streets schemes which restrict vehicle access on near to the school during the busy times when children are dropped off and picked up.
The aim is to help:
When a School Street is introduced, parents and carers are encouraged to leave their cars at home and walk, scoot or cycle with their children to and from school where possible. Those who drop their children off as part of a longer journey, or can’t avoid driving their child to school, are encouraged to park safely and considerately on quieter streets a little further away from school and walk the last part of the journey.
School Street schemes offer a proactive solution for school communities to tackle air pollution, safety issues and poor health. They can help to support a healthier lifestyle and active travel to school for families and lead to a better environment for everyone.
You can read more about our School Streets scheme.
A ‘Play Street’ is a residential street that is legally closed to through traffic for a few hours.
Our Play Streets initiative provides a way of combatting the amount of time that many children spend indoors by allowing residents to the opportunity to close their street for between 1-3 hours to provide them with space to play out on their doorsteps. Play Streets sessions can also provide a great chance to bring neighbours together to get to know each other and bring a sense of community spirit to the street.
Find out more about our Play Street offer and how to apply.
Through Planting Healthy Air in Schools, Trees for Cities is testing green infrastructure, design and planting techniques to screen airborne pollution.
The programme involves redesigning areas of the playground where air quality is particularly poor, including planting trees and other vegetation and creating woodland shelters and wildlife areas to help create greener, healthier playgrounds for outdoor learning and play.
Other Sources of help to reduce your emissions and avoid paying Clean Air Zone charges include: