Revealing number of Bristol Clean Air Zones fines could be ‘misleading’ says mayor

Revealing the number of Clean Air Zone fines issued so far could lead to “erroneous conclusions” about the scheme, according to the mayor of Bristol.

When pressed for details Marvin Rees refused to give the number of fines, despite other councils publishing these figures.

Thousands of drivers have likely been fined for not paying the Clean Air Zone fee in Bristol since the scheme launched last November. But the precise picture on the effect on drivers remains a mystery as Bristol City Council will not tell the public how many fines it has issued.

Speaking to John Darvall on BBC Radio Bristol on Thursday, May 25, Rees promised to release a full report in December looking at the number of fines as well as other key data on the Clean Air Zone. That’s after the scheme would have been in place for a whole year.

Darvall said: “The council has said they don’t want to reveal the numbers because it is confusing. Sheffield has a Clean Air Zone, and 7,000 people were fined for breaching it within the first month of operation which was in February and March of this year.

In total Sheffield City Council has made £200,000.

“In Newcastle’s Clean Air Zone, 1,658 motorists were hit with a Penalty Charge Notice for being non-compliant, and that’s since its launch in January this year to the end of February.

“We do not have figures from Bristol City Council and they won’t give us the figures, because they say it’s confusing. Will you tell me why? You must have seen the figures.”

Earlier this month the council refused to answer a freedom of information request, asking for the figures on the number of Clean Air Zone fines, as “incomplete information would be likely to result in confusion”.

Last month Labour councillor Don Alexander, cabinet member for transport, also refused to reveal the figures during a cabinet meeting.

Rees said: “What I’ve got at the moment is a promise and commitment to come back with a proper assessment with all the numbers of how the Clean Air Zone is operating after a year of operation.

“That also accounts for whatever behaviour change has happened, and any of the glitches that have been within the system as well.

“The concern is that if we jump off too soon and we have too short a period with which to study what is actually happening with the Clean Air Zone, then we could come up with a picture that is a little bit misleading. We have to have that period of bedding in.

“It’s important that we get a sufficient quantity of data on the fines, on the transport journeys, and on the people who have taken the support packages, before we jump to any premature conclusions.

“What we worry about is incomplete data that leads us to any erroneous conclusions.”

Main photo: Mia Vines Booth

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