Sheffield’s new clean air zone has received backlash among businesses in the city.
The scheme will be in place from Monday 27th February and will charge the most polluting vehicles driving in the city centre to try and reduce congestion, in line with Sheffield’s reputation as one of the greenest cities.
Wayne Sampson, 62, relies on roads within the clean air zone whilst driving between jobs for his carpet company, Fabric Care.
Mr Sampson said: “I always try to avoid that area anyway, but some days, such as today, I’ll have to use the ring road. Whereas, come next month I won’t.
“I’ll have to go probably 3 or 4 miles further to get to the same job. It’ll cost me more time. In doing more time I’ll emit more fumes.”
The zone includes key entry points to the city such as Sheffield Parkway and Derek Dooley Way on the city’s ring road.
Wayne Sampson said: “If it was within the ring road, I could sort of understand it. But to kill the ring road off to people such as me, it’ll create more fumes and congestion in other areas.
“To cut that road off to people that are struggling to make a living, it’s ridiculous.”
Backlash against the zone has come in the form of planned protests within the Facebook page ‘Campaign against chargeable clean air zone Sheffield’.
Taxis, buses, vans and coaches that drive in the inner city and within the ring road are among the vehicles that could be charged.
Mr Sampson said: “I’ve never been to a demonstration in my life, but I’m thinking about it. I probably will at some point.
“What I see of this is just the thin end of the wedge, it’s ridiculous, it’s causing more fumes than it’s stopping.”
Polluting vans, LGVs and taxis will be expected to pay £10 per day they enter the
zone and bigger coaches, buses and lorries will be charged £50.
Care worker Tom Barber, 39, said: “If you’re choosing to drive a car putting out really high pollution levels when you could be driving something more eco-friendly then you should be charged for it.
“I’d be down for a total ban on cars in the city centre, but they’d have to put a decent park and ride scheme in.”
Payments have to be processed within 7 days in order to avoid additional charges.