BRADFORD’S Clean Air Zone “will be removed” once the Government lifts the Ministerial Direction that led to its creation – according to Council bosses.

The assurance came as a response to a Conservative councillor’s concerns that the CAZ would “outlive the targets used to justify its creation.”

Councillor Allison Coates (Cons, Baildon) had raised concerns that the temporary post of the Council’s Air Quality Programme Director had been replaced with a permanent post of Assistant Director for Sustainability.

In a question to the Council Executive Cllr Coates asked: “Would the Leader of the Council be so kind as to confirm that the replacement of the temporary post by the permanent post, which is to be CAZ funded, is not evidence of an ‘as of yet unannounced’ council policy that the CAZ will long outlive the targets which were used to justify its creation?”

A response to the question from Council bosses said: “The council has been clear that once the Government removes the Ministerial Direction requiring the council to implement a Charging Class C Clean Air Zone then the CAZ will be removed.

“The temporary 3-year contract of the Director of Air Quality Programmes comes to an end in March and Council HR rules prevent the contract being extended, so advertising the post for recruitment is necessary.”