Even by its own more lax standards, the UK is not meeting its statutory obligations to limit harmful nitrogen dioxide (NO2) emissions in many local areas, though targets for other pollutants were met between 2010 and 2019.
If the clean air charging zone is approved in Ashbourne, it would see vehicles with higher emission levels pay to drive through the town centre, similar to six other zones in place elsewhere in England.
Birmingham is to launch England's first clean air zone outside London to charge private cars, in a move hailed by campaigners as a major turning point for the former UK "motor city" that has been plagued by poor air quality for years.
Taxi drivers and politicians in Leeds have hit back after the council revealed that it was putting plans to introduce the city’s long-awaited Clean Air Zone on hold, following the coronavirus outbreak.
