Oxfordshire County Council and Oxford City Council have launched a joint study to investigate the possibility of introducing a Zero Emission Zone in the city centre from 2020.
Under plans set out in the £30,000 study, the area would restrict access to the middle of the city centre for the most-polluting vehicles while encouraging the uptake of zero-emission vehicles.
The councils claimed the economic impact of pollution in the UK is estimated to cost the country between £9bn and £19bn each year.
Air pollution is monitored at 75 locations across the city and at present, 32% of the sites record breaches of European Union air-quality targets, they added.
Should the councils launch a Zero Emission Zone, it would follow on from a Low Emission Zone, which was rolled out in 2014 and mandates that local buses must be low-emitting vehicles. At present, the LEZ only impacts local buses.
Between now and the study’s conclusion in the spring, the councils said they will engage with stakeholders, including delivery and taxi companies, to see how such a zone could be implemented.
“Air pollution has a significant impact on the health of residents and visitors to Oxford. Our vision is to create a city centre that people can live and work in without worrying about how vehicle emissions will impact on their health. The Zero Emission Zone will achieve this, which is why I am thrilled that this study is now taking place,” said councillor John Tanner, Oxford City Council.
David Nimmo-Smith, Oxfordshire County Council cabinet member for environment, added: “There has been an improvement in air quality in the city in recent years and there is clearly a need to carry this trend on. The improvements clearly illustrate that measures to improve air quality, such as the introduction of the Low Emission Zone, have worked. However, there is more we all need to do to improve air quality.”
