The South Yorkshire Climate Alliance (SCA) have endorsed Sheffield Council’s new Clean Air Zones, but urged them to go even further.
Lindy Stone, an SCA board member, said: “We are supportive of measures but we are mostly encouraging the council to take speedier action because things following the 2019 Climate Change Act have been very slow and other council areas have taken more steps than Sheffield.”
“We most definitely need to improve public transport and have more regular buses, electric buses, and active travel routes for bikes and walkers.”
Despite support from the SCA, the council’s new steps have been met with heavy resistance from small business owners.
Polluting vans and taxis will have to pay £10 a day, with lorries and buses charged £50 a day under the new steps, which come into place on the 27th of February.
Dozens turned out outside Sheffield Town Hall on Saturday 4th February to protest against the new measures and highlight the detrimental impact the new costs will have on small businesses.
Andrew Hoyland, the owner of Travel Direct Minibus Services, said: “This will mean charges of up to £50 per day per vehicle for me to enter the city which I will have to pass on to my customers. Public services are already underfunded and struggling with the cost of living, therefore they may not be able to continue running bus services like mine.”
The Travel Direct Minibus Service has been a successful mini-bus hire throughout the city for over 15 years, but Mr Hoyland claims the “frustrating” recent council and government mishaps have had a detrimental impact on the business.
Mr Hoyland organised a ‘go slow’ protest earlier this year along Sheffield’s parkway with other coach and bus companies that are affected to highlight the problems caused by Sheffield Council.
Ms Stone said small business owners have a “right to exist” but people who support a clean air zone need to understand it might come with additional costs.
“On an economic basis, if the centre of town was less polluted and a more pleasant place to be, more people might be there.”
Councillor Julie Grocutt, Deputy Leader of Sheffield City Council said: “Implementing a scheme like this can often be challenging and we understand and appreciate people’s concerns but we also have to acknowledge our duty to take action to protect the lives of our current and future residents.”