Leeds Clean Air Zone 'significantly postponed'

18 June 2019, 14:30 | Updated: 18 June 2019, 14:32

The introduction of a Clean Air Zone in Leeds has been "significantly postponed" following a delay in the Government delivering a vehicle checker system.

The vehicle checking equipment which is needed to enforce the zone was supposed to be ready by October 2019 but won't now be available until at least December.

It means the Clean Air Zone which was due to come into force in January 2020 will now be put back.

The original plan for the Clean Air Zone in Leeds was drawn up after the government identified parts of the city would likely fail legal air quality levels by 2020.

Air pollution has been identified by Public Health England as the largest environmental risk to public health in the UK.

Leeds City Council has called the delay to the Clean Air Zone "extremely disappointing" and says the Government needs to "outline new timescales that they are confident can be delivered".

When it is implemented the Clean Air Zone will see drivers of heavy polluting vehicles like lorries, coaches and taxis being made to pay up to £50 a day.