Three months to go

Bristol Mayor Marvin Rees reminds residents and businesses that there’s still time to apply for financial support if they need to replace vehicles.

Bristol’s Clean Air Zone will start operating on Monday 28 November. No vehicles are banned but older and more polluting vehicles will be charged to enter the zone which is in a central area of the city.

Mayor Marvin Rees is encouraging people with vehicles that will be charged to apply for financial support from the council: “There are just three months to go before the zone starts operating but there is still time to get help from the council if your vehicle will be charged. I would urge anyone affected to get in touch with our team today to find out how we can support you.” Businesses are already preparing for the zone by upgrading their fleets and replacing them with cleaner vehicles. It is estimated that almost three-quarters of Bristol’s drivers will not be charged to enter the zone and this number is expected to increase as residents and businesses access support from the council to change vehicles. Mayor Rees added: “We’ve sought to introduce Bristol’s Clean Air Zone in a way that reduces harmful pollution and protects the most deprived households in our city as well as our trades and businesses. That is why we have secured over £42 million to support the switch to cleaner vehicles, alongside wider support with the national cost of living crisis. 30 I’m pleased to announce that the government have agreed to our request to extend the temporary exemption period until the end of March 2023. This will allow more time for Bristol residents and businesses to prepare for the zone’s introduction.”

Financial support is available to those on low incomes and Bristol-based businesses to help those that need to replace vehicles that don’t meet the zone’s emission standards. The council’s website has more information about the zone and how to access financial support. The council are also offering temporary exemptions to give people more time to replace their vehicle and have agreed with government an extension to the exemption period. Applications for these temporary exemptions will open in late September and will be available for:

• Residents in the zone • People working within the zone and earning less than £27,000 a year • Blue Badge holders • Patients attending hospitals in the zone

As well as supporting people to transition to cleaner vehicles, the council has also secured £5.9 million of support for people to switch to more sustainable modes of travel. The free active travel offers include bike and e-bike trials, cycle training, VOI e-Scooter credit, bus tickets, and planning sessions with travel experts to help people explore all their options for their regular journeys.

Mayor Rees said: “We are committed to reducing air pollution and making Bristol a healthier place for everyone, this includes increasing the use of sustainable transport in our city. Our free travel offers are a great opportunity for people in Bristol to try out new ways of travelling that are better for their health, wellbeing, and the environment too. Anyone who lives or works in Bristol is eligible to receive these offers and can apply on our website now.”

Additional information:

Use the government’s vehicle checker tool to find out if your vehicle will be charged. Find out more about the Clean Air Zone and support to replace your vehicle or try a different way of travelling.

SCHOOL UNIFORM FUNDING

Another round-up of local news from your hardworking Lib Dem team.

School uniform funding:

Families who need help purchasing school uniforms can now apply for support via the council’s Local Crisis Prevention Fund. Payments will be made in the form of supermarket vouchers to help with making budgeting for uniforms easier. Vouchers can be spent on food, shoes, stationery and school uniforms. This grant aims to help families struggling with the rising cost of living and enable children across Bristol to overcome barriers to learning and improve school attendance. Details on how to apply and information on other support: https://www.bristol.gov. uk/residents/benefits-and-financial-help/ local-crisis-prevention-fund-emergency-payments-and-household-goods/apply-for-an-emergency-payment Applications close 9 October.

Council tax rebate:

The deadline for people to apply for the £150 council tax rebate has now passed. If you did not made a claim, the £150 will be credited to your council tax account and evenly distributed across your remaining instalments for the year. If you have no council tax balance to pay, you will receive a Post Office voucher in the post to claim the money. Almost 80% of citizens in properties Band A-D (143,800 residents) have so far been paid this sum. A discretionary fund was also allocated as part of the council tax rebate scheme to support those who are not eligible for the £150 payment. All payments for the discretionary scheme have to be made by the council before the end of November 2022 but residents are encouraged to apply as early as possible. You can apply if you are in: • A property in bands E to H and are of state pension age OR living in shared accommodation or a House of Multiple Occupation (HMO), or

• A property in bands A to D in shared accommodation or HMO and your landlord is liable for the council tax on your home

Please check your council tax bill if you’re unsure what council tax band your property is in. Full eligibility criteria and application form is here: https://www.bristol.gov.uk/ residents/council-tax/council-tax-rebate

Bus service cuts:

We recently reported the huge cuts to bus services coming into force this October, including three services, the 36, 96 and 178 here in Brislington. The Metro Mayor, Dan Norris, has highlighted the national and regional shortage of bus drivers as the principal reason for these cuts. In addition, passenger numbers are still below prepandemic levels, meaning a loss of revenue for bus operators. Several years ago, there was a huge campaign for more public control of our buses via ‘bus franchising’, meaning we control the routes, timetables and tickets for the benefit of the travelling public and not private shareholders. We were at City Hall when the petition, signed by thousands of Bristolians, was presented to the Council. Unfortunately, the administration at the time declined to support the idea. More recently, we asked Metro Mayor if he would back ‘bus franchising’. He told us he preferred an ‘enhanced partnership’ approach with our bus operators, but that still leaves too much decision-making power in the hands of profit-driven, private companies. ‘Bus Franchising’ is the system operated in London and shortly in Manchester. We have the power to introduce such a system here in Bristol. Maybe it’s time we did so. Avon Fire and Rescue:

Avon Fire & Rescue Service are about to launch their new website. To ensure that they create the most useful and successful website, they are asking local residents to complete a short survey to better understand what is needed. If you have 5 minutes to spare, please complete the survey: https:// www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/afrs-email

Engaging with local residents is a key part of the work of Avon Fire and Rescue and the Risk Reduction Team have been conducting a number of fire safety talks during August. These targeted talks are always well received and they adapt their presentation style accordingly dependent on the audience. Highlights of this busy month include talks for: • The Memory Café, Longwell Green • Parents & Carers with children under 5 in Filton and Speedwell

• Vulnerable adults in Whitchurch

• The After Stroke Group, Speedwell

• Age UK, Withywood

These talks are targeted towards the more vulnerable groups in our communities. If you know a specific group that may suit one of these talks, please contact Risk Reduction Manager Nikki Rice to organise a visit: Nikki. Rice@avonfire.gov.uk Bushes trimmed:

It has taken some time and several emails, but we want to thank Sovereign Housing for finally trimming the bushes which were overhanging the pavement alongside their Lynwood Park development on the Bath Road. The bushes were an obstacle to those with a visual impairment and were forcing people to walk closer to the edge of the narrow pavement nearer to heavy, polluting traffic.

By Jos Clark, Liberal Democrat Councillor (Brislington West) Email: cllr.jos.clark@bristol.gov.uk Mobile: 07584 370429

& Andrew Varney, Liberal Democrat Councillor (Brislington West) Email: cllr.andrew.varney@bristol.gov.uk Mobile: 07584 183381