1. Purpose of the report and policy context

1.1 To receive petitions presented at the public engagement meeting held on the 21 July 2022.

2. Recommendations

2.1 That the committee responds to the petition either by noting it or where it is considered more appropriate, calls for an officer report on the matter.

3. Context and background information

3.1 To receive the following:

Petition

3.2 Clean Air Zone

We the undersigned petition Brighton & Hove Council to take action on illegally polluted air to improve the health of those living, travelling and working in the city by implementing a Clean Air Zone (also known as an Ultra Low Emission Zone or ULEZ).

Our city has the UK's 3rd most polluted street with many other areas above UK legal standards. Air pollution is considered responsible for at least 175 deaths in the city each year, as well as significant ill health. Children, the elderly, pregnant and those with existing health conditions are most at risk but air pollution can affect us all.

Many of our homes, doctor surgeries and medical centres suffer illegal air pollution as well as the Royal Sussex hospital itself and the route to it (BH Air Quality Annual Status Report 2020). Air pollution well above UK legal standards is found by many roads in the centre of the city but also spots near busy roads in Portslade, Rottingdean, Moulsecoomb, Hangleton, Hollingdean, Preston Park, Hove Park, Wish and Withdean. In fact every inch of Brighton & Hove suffers air pollution above new World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines with the worst affected areas many times those recommended levels.

It is accepted by health professionals that air pollution causes asthma, CPOD, dementia, eye degeneration, cancer, lung disease, heart disease, kidney disease, low birth weight, miscarriage and a whole range of other medical and psychological ill health (Clean Air Strategy DEFRA 2019).

Unfortunately the majority of air pollution in Brighton, especially in the most polluted areas, comes from motor vehicles, with older vehicles responsible for a much higher proportion (BH Detailed Air Quality Assessment 2020). A Clean Air Zone would apply to only a small proportion of vehicles. It works by discouraging the most polluting vehicles by charging a small fee upon entering the zone. The funds raised through the scheme, like in other cities, would go to help improve air quality by upgrading vehicles, improving zero emission transport and thereby improving health and lowering emissions.

The Clean Air Zone has been a success in central London by reducing air pollution by 45% and in Birmingham by 20% after just a few months.

Toxic, harmful air is simply unacceptable and we need a Clean Air Zone to provide us with a healthier environment.