CycleSheffield response to Sheffield Clean Air Zone proposal

Read more information about Sheffield’s Clean Air Zone proposal and have your say here.

We support the introduction of a Clear Air Zone. The harmful effects of air pollution on cardiovascular and pulmonary health and cancer risk have been well known for several years 1–3. The introduction of charges in London have reduced air pollution and improved children’s health4. Sheffield’s air pollution levels are currently 20% above the WHO limit5. A Clean Air Zone will help improve Sheffield’s air quality.

Sheffield promotes itself as the ‘Outdoor City’ and one of the greenest cities in Europe. A Clean Air Zone would allow the safe pursuit of outdoor activities and support its green credentials. 

We support the inclusion of taxis, buses and goods vehicles. The Clear Air Zone should also include charging the most polluting private cars. 

CycleSheffield would support the expansion of the Clean Air Zone to cover other parts of the city which suffer from illegal levels of air pollution, around schools and hospitals, and Sheffield’s arterial roads.

In addition to a Clean Air Zone the currently proposed Clean Air Zone should become a Congestion Charge Zone as well. We also support the introduction of a Workplace Parking Levy in Sheffield.

The proceeds from the Clean Air Zone, Congestion Charge Zone and Workplace Parking Levy should be ringfenced for active travel and public transport improvements. This would have positive consequences on the health of the city with ‘healthy life expectancy’ currently at a plateau and obesity at epidemic levels6

The introduction of a Clean Air Zone is a positive move that will improve air quality and public health, but the measures need to be taken further to maximise the benefits.

1.     Peters A, Pope CA 3rd. Cardiopulmonary mortality and air pollution. Lancet 2002; 360: 1184–1185.

2.     Clancy L, Goodman P, Sinclair H, et al. Effect of air-pollution control on death rates in Dublin, Ireland: an intervention study. Lancet 2002; 360: 1210–1214.

3.     Hoek G, Brunekreef B, Goldbohm S, et al. Association between mortality and indicators of traffic-related air pollution in the Netherlands: a cohort study. Lancet 2002; 360: 1203–1209.

4.     Mudway IS, Dundas I, Wood HE, et al. Impact of London’s low emission zone on air quality and children’s respiratory health: a sequential annual cross-sectional study. Lancet Public Health 2019; 4: e28–e40.

5.     UK’s most polluted towns and cities revealed. 4 May 2018, https://www.bbc.com/news/health-43964341 (4 May 2018, accessed 9 July 2019).

6.     Making a Difference strategy, https://www.sth.nhs.uk/futureplans (accessed 9 July 2019).

9 thoughts on “CycleSheffield response to Sheffield Clean Air Zone proposal

  1. I agree and support the draft submission. I personally made similar points when I completed the form myself.
    I also added words to the effect that because of the topography of Sheffield there are ‘hot’ spots of pollution. The LA should identify these areas and make special provision.
    I also pointed out that high quality and efficient public transport has to be a part of the solution(s)

    1. Really bad idea, matter of time before the council tax all cars to enter the city hitting the poorest people hardest financially forcing them out of there cars which is the only small convenient luxury many people have, this is quite obviously nothing to do with clean air and just a blatant tax grab by the council to keep there gravy train going, responsible for cutting down hundreds of the city’s trees ( benefit to the environment) and totally incompetent on every level.

      1. Cars are exactly that a luxury the focus should be on getting people out of there cars and onto public transport, unfortunately as it stands public transport across South-Yorkshire is a mess, it’s over priced and poorly run.

  2. It’s obvious that a lot of kids are taken to school by car or taxi. There should be a strategic approach to reducing this.

  3. I’m a cyclist. Every day I get choked and blinded by diesel fumes. The worst are buses that leave black smoke every time they pull away, but cars, taxis and trucks are just as bad. I have almost given up endangering my life on the disgusting fumes (oh yeah and the dangerous potholes and meaningless minimal cycling routes. Once upon a time Sheffield polluted the air so badly thousands of residents suffered illnesses and a shortened life. It’s about time Sheffield reversed this shameful past and lead the world in clean air).

  4. To quote the great Sir David Attenborough “we cannot be radical enough”. I would like to see all polluting vehicles included included under the scope of this scheme. It would also be good to identify some of the busier routes into the city and include these starting at areas curently at or above the legal PM and Nox levels.

  5. I fully support the introduction of the proposed clean air zone. Having lived inside that zone for five years, I now live on the edge of the city and the subjective difference in air quality is amazing.
    However, the City Council has to seek funding to urgently improve cycle and walking routes , away from dangerous vehicle traffic. The current cycle routes are patchy and scary to use, when crossing this proposed zone and it’s only a little better for walkers and wheelchair users.

  6. Public Health England published figures stating 500 people died prematurely due to the effects of air pollution in Sheffield.
    These devastating effects of air pollution on everyone’s health and well-being are now scientifically proven.
    These deaths are avoidable if the air we breathe was fit for humans to breathe.
    The main culprit for these premature deaths is emissions from diesel vehicles. The deadliest particles are 2.5micrograms they travel deep into the lungs, these particles are responsible for causing Respiratory Diseases including Asthma in children and adults.
    These deadly particulates are small enough to enter the blood stream from the lungs causing cardio- vascular disease, dementia, strokes and even affect unborn children in the womb.

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