The Bradford Air Quality Plan (BAQP) is being developed in line with Ministerial Direction with the Outline Business Case (OBC), including the preferred option for achieving compliance with the EU Limit Value for nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) in the shortest possible timeframe, required for submission by 31^st October 2019. The timescales for delivery are challenging due mainly to the readiness of the Bradford Transport Model in July which affects the timings of subsequent air quality and economic assessments. Following submission of the OBC to Government, full public / Statutory consultation will be carried out which will inform the preparation of the Final Business Case (FBC), due for submission in early 2020.

Government guidance on the development of the BAQP obliges the Council to assess all options for improving air quality against the effectiveness of a Clean Air Zone (CAZ) Class D, including buses, coaches, taxis, lorries, vans and cars.

Portfolio Holders and Strategic Directors of Health & Wellbeing and Place are delegated authority to submit to the Outline Business Case to Government and carry out consultation with all stakeholders.

The purpose of the report of the Strategic Director, Health & Wellbeing (Document “I”) is to provide an update on the development and potential delivery of the BAQP.

Recommended –

That Members consider the progress to develop the BAQP to date.

Andrew Whittles – 01274 435868

The Bradford Air Quality Plan (BAQP) was being developed in line with Ministerial Direction with the Outline Business Case (OBC), including the preferred option for achieving compliance with the EU Limit Value for nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) in the shortest possible timeframe, required for submission by 31^st October 2019. The timescales for delivery were challenging due mainly to the readiness of the Bradford Transport Model in July 2019 which affected the timings of subsequent air quality and economic assessments. Following submission of the OBC to Government, full public / Statutory consultation would be carried out which informed the preparation of the Final Business Case (FBC), due for submission in early 2020.

Government guidance on the development of the BAQP obliged the Council to assess all options for improving air quality against the effectiveness of a Clean Air Zone (CAZ) Class D, including buses, coaches, taxis, lorries, vans and cars.

Portfolio Holders and Strategic Directors of Health & Wellbeing and Place are delegated authority to submit to the Outline Business Case to Government and carry out consultation with all stakeholders.

The purpose of the report of the Strategic Director, Health & Wellbeing (Document “I”) was to provide an update on the development and potential delivery of the BAQP.

Following introduction of the report, a question and answer session ensued –

·         Was Leeds City Council proposing finance packages for private hire drivers in order to meet the requirements of a cleaner air in the city?

o   In order to support the city’s drivers, the authority had put together a planned package of grants and a loan scheme that it hoped would provide financial aid to drivers wishing to switch to compliant vehicles;

§  In response to answer, the Committee highlighted that maybe Bradford would need to move favourably towards assisting its city’s drivers with finance in transferring from present petrol vehicles to a fully electric model vehicles.

·         The grant, as highlighted in the report, did this also apply to Bradford’s taxi drivers?

o   The Council had secured over £500,000 funding to enable local taxi drivers to convert to electric vehicles and local bus companies had also received over £2m in funding to improve emissions;

·         Further clarity was sought on finance for taxis?

o   There were over 3,500 Private Hire Drivers (PHD) and 220 Hackney Carriage Drivers (HCD) in Bradford. The secured funding would be offered to PHD and HCD. The Council was intending to meet the expectations of national recognised government standards;

·         If the Council was successful in rolling out funding for 3,700+ taxi drivers, then how would it intend in meeting the needs of providing charging points for these new vehicles?

o   The Council was developing a network of EV charging points, to encourage the use of EVs in the Bradford District such as new street lighting being installed which would include charging points. The network would enable all taxi vehicles to recharge;

·         Due to taxis playing a pivotal role in the transport factor within the Bradford District, were drivers being update on all opportunities and incentives for schemes such as grants available?

o   The Council had engaged with drivers on aspects of vehicles, grants and other incentives;

·         How was Council encouraging parents to stop using their vehicles school runs?

o   There was ongoing work with schools on this subject matter at this present time;

·         What other scheme had been proposed to reduce emissions?

o   The Council had been considering a “park and ride scheme” (to provide a parking facility with a regular public transport that allow commuters and other people heading to city centres to leave their vehicles and transfer to a public transport mode for the remainder of the journey) and the most suitable site found to date was a Council owned site on Staithgate Lane; and,

·         Had any studies been focused on the use and routes of buses across the district?

o   As part of the Low Emission Strategy (LES), a Low Emission Zone (LEZ) Feasibility Study was carried out 2014 in partnership with Leeds City Council, Bradford NHS and Public Health England (PHE). The LEZ study was reported to Members in 2015. The study looked at the changes in emissions and concentrations of key pollutants in 2016 and 2021 based on local fleet data, obtained from Automatic Number Plate Registration (ANPR) cameras and projected forward. The study showed that 40% of the emissions of nitrogen oxides within the Inner Ring Road were due to buses. The study was innovative in that it looked at the impact of various LEZ scenarios on the health of the population of Bradford within the Outer Ring Road area and the resultant health cost savings. At now, Bradford Air Quality Plan (BAQP) planned to seek air quality improvements over a much wider area of the District than was considered in the LEZ Feasibility Study, with greater, aggregated health benefits for residents for the Bradford District. As a consequence the West Yorkshire Low Emission Strategy (WYLES) had informed the West Yorkshire Transport Strategy (WYTS) and provided a platform for inward investment to facilitate bus emission improvements, including school buses, and the ultra-low emission taxi scheme.

During the latter part of the discussion, it was mentioned that Inner city Bradford was heavily congested with areas consisting of number of schools close to one another. For this reason it was paramount for schools to challenge parents aggressively that lived at a close proximity to school to stop using their vehicles to school runs. In response, the Portfolio Holder for Healthy People and Places explained that there was ongoing engagement with parents and schools through a current programme “Living Well”, Bradford's online resource which aimed to make it easier for people to be healthier and live a more active lifestyle. Living Well was about helping people to recognise how health and well-being could be and to find the right support to achieve a healthier lifestyle such as everyday activity.

Resolved –

That the progress made in developing the Bradford Air Quality Plan and the contents of Document “I” be welcomed.

ACTION: Strategic Director, Health & Wellbeing