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Clean Air Zone in Bristol could impact recruitment and retention of hospital staff

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Bristol’s new Clean Air Zone could have an impact on recruitment and retention of staff at one of the city’s hospital trusts.

There are also concerns that staff working night shifts may end up getting charged for two days.

The trust said that a large proportion of contractors and delivers still have non-compliant vehicles and that it is also worried that suppliers will likely pass on the CAZ charge to them.

READ MORE: Where the borders for the scheme will fall street by street

Bristol City Council said the city is under a legal duty to introduce a clean air zone to reduce toxic pollution caused by traffic in the shortest possible time.

It said the roads outside the children’s hospital and the Bristol Royal Infirmary are some of the most polluted roads in the city and that tackling air pollution there is critical to the success of the zone, adding that to mitigate impacts they have meeting regularly with the hospital to discuss how it can support staff, patients and visitors.

The agenda from a board of directors meeting at University Hospital Bristol and Weston held last week states: “The Clean Air Zone operates 24/7 365 days a year. However what has been highlighted is that it runs midnight to midnight.

“Staff that work a night shift need to be aware that they may end up being charged for two days as this will fall into two charge periods.

“The Trust is working with BCC [Bristol City Council] to establish if there is any way to avoid this but currently the signs are not positive.

“There has been no confirmation of a lower income exemption for staff above the already agreed £26k, this will affect recruitment and retention of staff that drive a non-compliant vehicle.

“To support staff earning above the limit of £26k the Trust will introduce, in time for the implementation of the Clean Air Zone, a salary sacrifice scheme to purchase electric vehicles or vehicles that are compliant with the Clean Air Zone.”

Designed to curb traffic air pollution, the Clean Air Zone will see drivers of older, more polluting vehicles – an estimated 75,000 a day – charged to enter a small zone in the city centre.

Towards the end of last year, city mayor Marvin Rees confirmed the scheme has received the backing of the Government and will definitely be introduced in the summer of 2022.

The trust said that a brief overview highlighted that a large proportion of contractors and delivers still have Euro 5 and below vehicles in the fleet, which would mean they would fall in the charging category.

The exterior of the Bristol Royal Infirmary hospital

“Any new contracts will stipulate the type of vehicles that can be used to access our site however that can only be done at renewal of contracts with some contracts still being valid for up to 10 years, so is a long term issue,” it continued.

“The cost of existing suppliers to either upgrade their fleet to meet the CAZ or pay the £100 charge per day will likely be passed on to the Trust. There will be no exemption for vehicles that deliver to the Trust.”

To keep up to date with latest Bristol politics news, and discuss thoughts with other residents, join our Bristol politics news and discussion here.

In a statement to BristolLive, Dr Mark Smith, deputy chief executive and chief operating officer at University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust, said: “We recognise the importance of the clean air zone and the benefits it will bring in improving air quality in Bristol city centre, particularly around our hospitals.

“We are committed to sustainability and are working closely with Bristol City Council, who we are having productive conversations with, to look at ways to support patients, staff and visitors to get to and from our hospitals once the clean air zone is introduced.”

The council has previously said that it estimates that about three in 10 vehicles in Bristol will attract the charges, which were set at £9 for smaller vehicles and £100 a day for larger vehicles.

You can find out more about which vehicles will be charged here, about how the system will work here, about when the charges will operate here and you can view where the borders for the scheme will fall here.

What Bristol City Council said

A spokesperson from Bristol City Council said: “Bristol is under a legal duty to introduce a clean air zone to reduce toxic pollution caused by traffic in the shortest possible time.

“We’ve spent months negotiating with government to secure a huge investment in Bristol to deliver the new zone and provide a range of measures that will reduce the impact on low-income households and local trades and businesses.

“It’s been clear from the moment the government ordered the council to introduce a zone that it would impact a number of city institutions, including our local NHS. The roads outside the children’s hospital and the BRI are some of the most polluted roads in the city. Tackling air pollution here is critical to the success of the zone as a whole.

“To try and mitigate these impacts, we’ve been meeting regularly with the hospital to discuss how we can support staff, patients and visitors prepare for the clean air zone. Patients and visitors to the hospital will be exempt from the clean air zone charge until the end of 2022.

“There will also be financial support for hospital staff on low incomes to replace vehicles that don’t meet the zone’s emission standards.

“Dedicated financial support for HGVs for engine retrofits or vehicle replacement will be in place to support supply chains working through the city centre.

“We also have funding to support organisations to consolidate their deliveries so electric vans and e-cargo bikes can be used for the last mile of delivery.

“The hospital runs a free shuttle bus connecting to the city centre, Temple Meads and Cabot Circus car park which can be accessed from outside the zone. The hospital also has car parks that are outside the zone.”

To keep up to date with latest Bristol politics news, and discuss thoughts with other residents, join our Bristol politics news and discussion here. You can also sign up to our brand new politics newsletter here.

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