Property owners and tenants exposed to increased inner-city pollution levels may welcome Birmingham City Council’s decision to ban private cars from taking ‘through trips’ in the city centre.
Air pollution is widely regarded as a public health crisis in Birmingham. 200,000 vehicles pass through the city centre every day, 80% of nitrogen dioxide emissions are caused by these vehicles, all in all contributing to 900 premature deaths. What’s shocking is that 25% of the car journeys cover less than one mile.
Under the proposition outlined in their newly published transport plan, vehicles will be able to drive into the city, but in order to access other areas, they would then have to head back towards the ring road.
Over the next 10 years, as well as the changes to the city centre. The council are looking at:
Reducing the amount of parking in the city centre and re-developing some of the land currently used
Turning the A38 into an “upgraded ring road” and designating the city’s tunnels for public transport use only
This proposal is set to encourage the use of public transport, walking and cycling, therefore cutting pollution.
If the plan is backed by the council’s cabinet today (Tuesday 21st January 2020), a consultation will then commence on Tuesday 28th January 2020.
However, opponents fear this would have the opposite effect and gridlock Birmingham city centre.
Robert Alden, Tory councillor, said plans to close the tunnels
“will bring the city to a standstill, destroying jobs and pushing more congestion and pollution to the residential areas on the edge of the ring road.”
Birmingham has faced multiple warnings and been told it must clear up its air by 2020 or face being fined £60m.
To start this clean up process, from July 2020, the council are introducing a Clean Air Zone (CAZ), which sees owners of older cars, known to release high toxic emissions, having to pay £8 to enter the city centre.
What impact does noise and air pollution have on the saleability of a property? Are measures like this set to become more popular?
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Last year I attended a lecture at the Open Data Institute about the air quality information which one city is making readily available
Should an equivalent of an energy certificate be required for all homes?