PRIVATE hire drivers held a "slow drive" protest in front of Bradford City Hall yesterday over plans to introduce a Clean Air Zone in the city next year.

Bradford Council's Clean Air Zone was proposed after the authority was ordered by Government to reduce the illegally high levels of air pollution in the city.

Although private cars would not be effected, some of the most polluting commercial vehicles would be charged to enter the zone, which would make up most of the city centre and the Shipley to Bradford corridor.

These include HGVs and vans that do not meet certain emission standards.

And taxis and private hire vehicles that do not meet the required standards would be charged up to £12.50 a day to enter the zone.

Millions of pounds in grants have been set aside for owners of such vehicles to upgrade to cleaner engines - which would mean they avoid the charge.

Private hire owners could get grants of up to £3,200 and Hackney Carriages up to £4,000 to upgrade their vehicles to cleaner models.

However both private hire and hackney carriage drivers say the grants will not be enough to upgrade their vehicles, and argued the daily £12.50 charge was "unreasonable and excessive."

Clean air zone plan hailed as 'momentous' step in improving Bradford's health

Yesterday's protest was organised by the Private Hire Operators Association, which says the charge would impact 90 per cent of its drivers - who would have to add £12.50 to their daily costs.

Nadeem Ahmed, secretary of the PHOA in Bradford, said 26 firms supported the protest - which was private hire vehicles drive slowly down Hall Ings.

A similar protest was planned for today, but has been temporarily suspended.

A spokesperson for Bradford Council said: “The Council works well with a number of trade organisations which represent the taxi trade and they comply with the rules set out.

"The Council is under Government directive to introduce a Clean Air Zone and is therefore duty bound to comply.

“We are continuing to have conversations with the trade to support drivers to adapt and have already secured higher levels of grants from the Government for taxi and private hire drivers than other Clean Air Zone local authorities have received.

“We value the district’s taxi drivers as an important part of our public transport service, they have had a very difficult year and we are grateful for all they have done in these challenging times.”

A Clean Air Zone is due to be implemented in Birmingham next month.