Bristol may be the first British city to ban diesel cars

Bristol may just end up being the first British city to introduce a ban on diesel cars within the limits of it’s city centre to improve the quality of air.
These vehicles will not be allowed to enter the central area of the city between 7am an 3p, this will be carried out throughout the week on every day.
A wider charging zone for lorries, vans and public transport such as buses and taxis that don’t meet a certain criteria of being environmental friendly, will be introduced by March 2021.
These concerns had mainly been raised after discovering in September 2015 that, Volkswagen had 11m cars worldwide that had not passed their air pollution test. 1.2m of these cars were present in the UK.
When the ban is first put into action there will be plans that to launch car scrappage schemes, which will help diesel car owners buy vehicles that can be classed as alternative options.
Marvin Rees, the mayor of Bristol said, “These ambitious plans demonstrate our commitment to tackling air pollution so we meet legal limits within the shortest time, without disproportionally affecting citizens on lower incomes, which would happen with a blanket approach to charging vehicles.
“Protecting the most vulnerable people from pollution is central to these plans and we have ensured that all impacts have been carefully considered. If approved, mitigation measures will support those most affected, especially those living in the most deprived communities.”
The council is being asked to approve of the clean air zone proposal by the 5^th of November.
Lawyer Katie Nield, from the no-profit environmentalist law organistation ClientEarth, said, “Bristol city council is finally responding to residents’ pollution worries and looking to strengthen its proposals, but while these new plans represent a step in the right direction, they once again stop short of ridding the city of its illegally toxic air with the necessary urgency.”