I understand the concerns many have on the quality of the air in Bath and the effect it has on my constituents. I would like to assure you that the Government is committed to tackling this problem. While significant improvements have been made in air quality over many years, more needs to be achieved.
I hosted a debate in Westminster Hall calling for improvements in air-quality in Bath and the proposed introduction of clean air zones. I will continue to lobby the Government to make changes which will improve air quality.
Over the past five years the Government has committed over £2 billion to help bus operators upgrade their fleets, reduce pollution from a range of vehicles such as refuse trucks and fire engines through cutting edge technologies, and promote the development of clean alternative fuels such as powering taxis with liquid petroleum gas in Birmingham.
One of the main reasons cities continue to face air quality problems is that diesel vehicles have failed to deliver expected emission reductions in real world driving conditions. The Government has therefore won agreement to introduce more stringent emissions testing, ensuring vehicles live up to their low emission credentials.
For Bath in particular, we need to do more to discourage polluting vehicles from entering the city. That is why I have a petition calling for an A36-46 link road, allowing cars to pass around the city not though the city, and an east of Bath Park and Ride providing a different route into the city, without cars. Options are being considered to introduce a clear air zone in Bath by the local council and I will continue to lobby the Council to introduce one.