Bath’s clean air zone has raked in over £7 million in fines since its inception.
Between March 2021 and October 2023, a total of 174,755 fines were issued to drivers of non-compliant vehicles in the zone. Most fines were for repeated offenses, with 76,745 different vehicles penalized.
Unlike neighboring Bristol, the clean air zone exempts private cars registered with the DVLA. Other vehicles like HGVs, vans, buses, coaches, and minibuses are subject to a daily charge ranging from £9 to £100 to enter the zone.
READ MORE: Motorists Face Convictions in Somerset Courts
READ MORE: A30 Roadworks Delayed, Causing Christmas Travel Delays
The fines have caught many off guard, including a Lancashire woman fined £120 for her van, which was compliant in Bolton but not in Bath. A Bath resident received a hefty £273 fine after a brief 20-second drive through the zone without paying the initial penalty charge notice.
Since the zone’s introduction, the fines have totaled £7,102,980, affecting about 2% of drivers who have used the zone.
The Bath and North East Somerset Council implemented the clean air zone in line with a government directive to improve air quality promptly. The zone aims to make higher polluting vehicles pay for their contribution to poor air quality.
In addition to the clean air zone, the council has introduced emissions-based pricing in council car parks to discourage the use of polluting vehicles.
To address a budget deficit, the council plans to extend emissions-based pricing to Keynsham, Midsomer Norton, Radstock, and on-street parking in Bath.