Post by acnedriver on Sept 29, 2022 5:58:17 GMT
Nearly half of all applications from taxi drivers for grants to comply with Clean Air Zone regulations have been rejected. Bristol City Council confirmed that 45 percent of applications from cabbies had been turned down as “they did not meet the criteria for financial support”, in response to a freedom of information request by Bristol Live.
Around a fifth of applications from van and lorry owners had also been rejected, the enquiry revealed. The local authority confirmed that 19 percent of requests – many of which were for help replacing multiple LGVs or HGVs – had been turned down.
The new rules, which come into force on 28 November, will see older and more polluting vehicles charged to enter parts of the city centre. It is estimated that up to 75,000 cars, vans, buses and lorries will face the fees – thought to represent around three in every ten vehicles throughout the city.
The costs – £9 per day for small vehicles and £100 per day for larger ones – will be chargeable 24 hours per day. But one payment will remain valid all day, meaning multiple trips into the CAZ will only be charged for once.
Residents and businesses can apply for grants from Bristol City Council to help upgrade their vehicles to less polluting ones, avoiding the charges altogether. The maximum grant for cars is £1,500, while those seeking to upgrade vans can claim up to £4,500.
Thousands of people have sought to take advantage of the offer, but many have been knocked back by council officials. The FOI response revealed that 5,181 applications for funding had been received by 23 August of which 1,177, or 22 percent, had been rejected.
Up to that date, 251 of the 1,287 applications from LGV and HGV owners had been declined, as had 137 of 307 applications from taxi and minicab drivers. In all cases, Bristol City Council’s CAZ team said only that applicants “did not meet the criteria required for financial support”, without detailing in what way the appeals were insufficient.
www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/clean-air-zone-almost-half-7632816
Comment : It appears that each City/Town have dicretion who gets the grant's and/or funding. Hopefully that means they can refuse any finacial help or assistance to any hire vehicle which may be licensed in another Authority licenced outside of Gtr MCRr.
Around a fifth of applications from van and lorry owners had also been rejected, the enquiry revealed. The local authority confirmed that 19 percent of requests – many of which were for help replacing multiple LGVs or HGVs – had been turned down.
The new rules, which come into force on 28 November, will see older and more polluting vehicles charged to enter parts of the city centre. It is estimated that up to 75,000 cars, vans, buses and lorries will face the fees – thought to represent around three in every ten vehicles throughout the city.
The costs – £9 per day for small vehicles and £100 per day for larger ones – will be chargeable 24 hours per day. But one payment will remain valid all day, meaning multiple trips into the CAZ will only be charged for once.
Residents and businesses can apply for grants from Bristol City Council to help upgrade their vehicles to less polluting ones, avoiding the charges altogether. The maximum grant for cars is £1,500, while those seeking to upgrade vans can claim up to £4,500.
Thousands of people have sought to take advantage of the offer, but many have been knocked back by council officials. The FOI response revealed that 5,181 applications for funding had been received by 23 August of which 1,177, or 22 percent, had been rejected.
Up to that date, 251 of the 1,287 applications from LGV and HGV owners had been declined, as had 137 of 307 applications from taxi and minicab drivers. In all cases, Bristol City Council’s CAZ team said only that applicants “did not meet the criteria required for financial support”, without detailing in what way the appeals were insufficient.
www.bristolpost.co.uk/news/bristol-news/clean-air-zone-almost-half-7632816
Comment : It appears that each City/Town have dicretion who gets the grant's and/or funding. Hopefully that means they can refuse any finacial help or assistance to any hire vehicle which may be licensed in another Authority licenced outside of Gtr MCRr.
