Plans for a controversial clean air zone in Coventry have been scrapped in a move the RHA described as a victory for common sense.
The Government has backed Coventry City Council’s plans to improve air quality which avoid charging hauliers and other road users.
New measures including improved road networks and investment in cleaner air technologies have won ministers over after they’d ordered local officials to implement a clean air zone to bring emissions down to within legal limits.
Councillors opposed the scheme and submitted revised proposals last summer.
RHA chief executive, Richard Burnett said the decision is a victory for common sense and challenged other local authorities to follow suit.
“Ministers have made the right choice backing moves to improve air quality which avoid charging road users. But it’s taken a bold approach from Coventry to win the argument.
“They recognise that imposing a CAZ would be disastrous for their city as have officials in Southampton, Nottingham and Derby.”
Other local authorities must follow their lead, he added.
The RHA notes that Coventry proposes a ban on HGVs in part of Foleshill Road, and ‘restrictions on ‘polluting vehicles’ on a section of the A4114 Holyhead Road. The Association will assess what this means for hauliers in due course.
Coventry has been told to submit a final business case by 19 June.
