Bristol’s Clean Air Zone threatens to cut off “half” of all North East Somerset residents from major roads heading north.

The City Council has just revealed plans for a charging zone and diesel ban in a smaller part of the centre that thousands have to pass through to access the M32 or the A4. The controls are set to be introduced in 2021, following the same Government order Bath received to cut nitrogen dioxide to safe levels.

Temple Cloud with Cameley Parish Council Chairman, Tony Hooper, said: “The Clean Air Zone is long overdue. The Government has been putting pressure to come up with sensible proposals, and the Council has refused to do so. Now it has produced some proposals in a rush, without properly thinking them through.

“For people living along the A37 corridor and west of that, we are going to be stymied trying to access the motorway network. Where there are major national routes like the A4 and M32, you have to give people the opportunity to use them. For at least half of North East Somerset, it would appear we are going to be penalised for trying to get to the motorway network.”

Bristol’s Clean Air Zone would cover a large chunk of the city, including Cotham, Montpelier, St Philips Marsh, Southville, Bedminster and Ashton Gate. Drivers of non-compliant vehicles would have to pay the same amount being proposed in Bath – £9 a day for taxis, private-hire taxis and vans, and £100 a day for buses, coaches and lorries.

In a UK first, the proposals would also see all diesel vehicles, except buses, taxis and emergency service vehicles, banned from parts of the city centre between 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. each day.

Cllr Hooper said many villagers along the A37 are reliant on their cars – often diesel 4x4s better suited to the countryside than the city – because the buses are inadequate or at capacity. Accessibility means most villagers in and around Temple Cloud go north to Bristol or south to Wells. He said a bus into Bath could take two-and-a-half hours, and would mean going via Bristol.

“If you live in Temple Cloud, Clutton and further west, there are three Council Connect offices, in Keynsham, Midsomer Norton and Bath – but you can’t get to any of them by public transport,” said Cllr Hooper. “Inevitably, people rely on cars.”

Temple Cloud suffers from excessive nitrogen dioxide levels and is waiting for its own controls to improve air quality. Cllr Hooper said lorries queue in both directions through the village, but efforts to tackle the problem had been delayed by Bath’s Clean Air Zone proposals.

Bath & North East Somerset Council Leader, Dine Romero, has agreed to raise concerns about Bristol’s Clean Air Zone with Bristol City Mayor, Marvin Rees.

Stephen Sumner, LDRS