Words and photos by Mo Dukali |
Recent research has shown that Leeds has the most polluted road out of any city in the UK outside of London.
According to Friends of the Earth, Neville Street, which is close to Leeds train station, has Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) levels of 99 ug/m3, which is more than twice the suggested limit of 40ug/m3.
Statistics from Greenfacts.org suggests that inhalation of NO2 can seriously impact on human health, causing problems to the lungs and other parts of the respiratory system. So, the fact that a road in Leeds has NO2 levels that are twice the suggested amount is worrying because… well, we all need to breathe.
On top of this, NO2 is also classed as a greenhouse gas. This means that it damages the ozone layer, contributing to global warming with negative impacts such as rising sea levels. This can then seriously endanger wildlife that live in arctic conditions and rely on ice caps to thrive.
Since the discovery of such serious air pollution on Neville Street, Leeds City Council has been trying to come up with a solution to reduce it. The solution they have brought forward is the “Clean Air Zone”. The idea behind the Clean Air Zone is that vehicles that are known to produce high levels of air pollution such as Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs), coaches and taxis will be charged for entering the city. HGVs and coaches could be charged up to £50 a day, whereas taxis will be charged £12.50 a day or £50 a week, commencing in January 2020.
“...the charge is ridiculous, it’s only being put in place so that the council can get more money. I still have to make a living, so I'll have to pay the fee... the city centre is where I make the most money.”
However, many are doubtful that the charges will help the problem, as most HGVs entering the city are likely to be dropping off goods to the retail stores in the city centres. These companies will have no choice but to pay the charge to ensure that their stores are stocked as usual, meaning that the same number of lorries will still be entering the city centre. Therefore, many see the idea of the Clean Air Zone as a form of punitive tax as opposed to the environmentally driven scheme it has been made out to be.
Taxi drivers in particular have also had a negative response to the idea of the Clean Air Zone, claiming that the charges will severely impact their ability to make a living as a taxi driver in Leeds, especially those who are self-employed or work as part of a small business.
When asked for his opinion on the new Clean Air Zone scheme, Muhammad Tayyab, 34, a taxi driver from Bradford said:
“I think the charge is ridiculous, it’s only being put in place so that the council can get more money, I still have to make a living, so regardless of the cost I’m still going to pay the fee, because the city centre is where I make the most money.
“If the charges were really about helping the environment then all vehicles should incur the charge regardless of whether they are for business or not, there’s more normal cars on the roads than taxis and they all contribute to pollution just as much as my taxi.”
So, is the Clean Air Zone scheme really the answer to Leeds’ pollution problem? Or just another money making scheme by the council? Maybe we could all do a better job of keeping the air pollution in Leeds at a safe amount by using public transport more, limiting our use of taxis or even consider other modes of transport, such as walking and cycling.