Keighley MP Robbie Moore has criticised Bradford Council as “tone deaf” as they rollout the controversial Clean Air Zone tax this week.
Mr Moore, who has spoken against the scheme on multiple occasions, including in the House of Commons, says that this is a direct tax imposed by Bradford Council on hardworking people. In an open letter to the Council calling for the Clean Air Zone to be scrapped earlier this year, Mr Moore called the extra tax on local businesses “preposterous” amid the cost-of-living crisis facing many families across Keighley and the wider Bradford District. He also said that it was a direct target on many local businesses, which would not be able to absorb the additional cost.
Under Bradford Council’s Clean Air Zone plans, taxi drivers will have to pay £7-per-day to enter the Clean Air Zone if they are not compliant with Council regulations, with LGV and minibus drivers facing a £9-per-day charge, and HGV and coach drivers facing a whopping £50-per-day charge.
Robbie Moore MP said: "Bradford Council’s Clean Air Zone Tax amounts to nothing else but a targeted tax on hard-working people, who are set to incur huge charges whilst simply going about their normal business. As the government cuts taxes for low-income families and announces a freeze on energy bills to help combat the cost-of-living challenge, Bradford Council plough on with introducing a completely preposterous tax which will undoubtedly stifle growth for the area with many businesses, large and small being unable to absorb the additional costs.
Implementing this tax during a time of hardship for families and businesses across our District illustrates just how tone-deaf Labour-run Bradford Council have shown themselves to be over the past two years. Ultimately, this Clean Air Zone Tax will be a heavy burden to many and these plans in my view will do very little to actually improve the environment.
Improving air quality does not have to translate to an unfair tax on hardworking people. When the Council say the plan will reduce emissions, they are ignoring the inevitable fact that congestion will only increase outside of this CAZ as businesses send drivers on longer routes to avoid charges.
Keighley and the wider Bradford District needs help to grow and thrive, not another ill thought through tax burden holding us back.
“Across the Pennines in Manchester, Mayor Andy Burnham introduced plans very similar to what we have seen in Bradford. This plan has been postponed and is now under review. Bradford Council must swallow their pride and scrap the whole thing, and seek a better non-taxing alternative. They were allocated 39.4 million to support upgrading some of our most polluting vehicles – and in the end they came back with a tax on hardworking people instead. I again urge Labour-run Bradford Council to scrap this disaster, before local families and businesses are hit with more extra costs.”
