No public inquiry for city’s diesel ban

Bristol City Council this week approved controversial plans for a city centre diesel car ban whose hours of operation  may have been chosen to circumvent the need for a public inquiry.

The ban will operate between 0700 and 1500 seven days a week. Bristol had considered a 24-hour restriction but a council spokesman told LTT: “A 24 hours a day diesel ban would obviously have a big impact on private car drivers, as well as the evening economy and local tourism. When modelled, the combination of the Class C clean air zone plus diesel ban during those times was found to get us to compliance [with air quality limit values], therefore there is no need to do 24 hours.” 

Bristol will implement the ban using a Traffic Regulation Order (TRO). The council’s consultant, Jacobs, advised that the law requires a public inquiry to be held if an objection is made to a TRO that prohibits loading or unloading of vehicles of any class at: all times; before 0700; between 1000 and 1600; or after 1900. Bristol’s proposal falls outside these hours.

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Bristol’s plans p6