As part of the city’s clean air zone (CAZ) initiative, which went live February 2023, money generated from the scheme must be used to support improvements to local transport with the aim of further improving air quality. In Sheffield, it is estimated that poor air quality contributes to around 500 deaths a year, but it also has an impact on the quality of life for people in the city.

Traffic related air pollution is thought to be specifically responsible for as many as 12% of annual childhood asthma cases across the city. The council’s transport, regeneration and climate committee is due to meet on Wednesday [14 February] and will hear the proposal to invest £1m of the income from the CAZ. 

The regulations recommend that an initial £1m is allocated toward several projects including School Streets, ModeShift Stars, Community and school cycle storage and 20mph part-time zones outside schools. As part of a larger initiative to get the city moving, the zones will also encourage active lifestyles by walking, cycling and wheeling to school.

Further work on potential environmental improvements, including green walls at schools, will also be undertaken as part of the development of the investment plan.  As part of the project, the main road outside each school will be closed to vehicles during the morning and afternoon school runs to make it a safer environment for the pupils and to encourage an active travel lifestyle by reducing the reliance on car travel. 

The council has already installed 27 part-time 20mph zones outside schools in Sheffield to enhance the safety of children and young people going to and from school.  

Chair of the transport, regeneration and climate committee, Ben Miskell, Sheffield City Council, said: “Air pollution in Sheffield, especially around schools has a negative impact on our children’s health and improving the air they breathe is our number one priority.

“Using the funding we get from the clean air zone will allow us to continue to work with schools across Sheffield to cut the amount of harmful gases, help improve air quality and encourage people to get to school in an active and sustainable way.”