Sheffield’s clean air zone rules have been changed to help school trips

Changes to Sheffield’s Clean Air Zone (CAZ) are to be made after businesses in the city raised concerns about the impact on school trips.

School trip operators can apply for exemptions from the CAZ charge, but said the time slots involved risked youngsters missing out on visits.

Sheffield City Council said business exemptions would be approved in three days instead of five from the start of July.

The council’s Ben Miskell said he wanted to encourage educational trips.

Mr Miskell, the spokesman for transport, regeneration and climate, said the area was the only place in the country to offer exemptions for educational trips or taking children for activities such as swimming.

He added that as a teacher himself, he knew the importance of educational travel, adding: “We want to support coach operators.”

Some school trips or sports tournaments rely on drier weather but must be booked well in advance for exemption, otherwise the £50 fee is passed on to the schools.

Letters seen by the BBC, from schools that did not want to be named, told the board that the five-day notice period was not “workable” and that the school or coach provider would incur additional costs.

Another said any additional costs would only make it more difficult to continue offering a range of activities.

Paul Harrison, of Central Travel in Sheffield, said many schools were therefore having to refuse “required” outings and swimming trips and that the current system meant a member of bus staff was spending around two hours a day completing the documents.

He said: “The impact is damaging children whether they are going swimming or on days out at animal parks. It is impossible to work with them.

“All he does is work against the children of Sheffield. They are the ones who lose.”

The council said that since the Sheffield CAZ was introduced in February 2023, data shows that the number of the most polluting vehicles driving through the city center has fallen by up to two-thirds.

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