At least 300 Birmingham council vehicles 'break Clean Air Zone rules' in 'jaw dropping' admission

Birmingham City Council owns and leases 'at least 300' vehicles that fail to meet its own Clean Air Zone rules. The shock disclosure was made to 'gobsmacked' councillors by a city transport official.

It means more than one in six of the council's estimated 1,750 general use fleet of vehicles is liable to a daily charge inside the pollution-busting Zone. This was one of a series of shocking admissions made to members during a meeting of the sustainability and transport scrutiny committee this month. (November 7)

Cllr Richard Parkin (Cons, Sutton Reddicap) said the revelations were 'astonishing' and 'jaw dropping'. Council transport expert Chris Douglas, who is supporting work to create a new centralised transport unit, said there was no reliable data to show how many vehicles were owned, hired or leased by the council because individual directors and senior staff had been delegated powers to sort out their own.

As a result there was no simple way of knowing if they were all still on the road, or were being regularly taxed, insured, MOT'd, inspected and maintained.

READ MORE: Thousands of homeless, hopeless kids need us - why Brumwish is back this winter

Cllr Lee Marsham, committee chair, (Lab, Nechells), asked him if it was known how many of estimated 1,750 general use vehicles were compliant with Clean Air Zone restrictions. "We know of at least 300 that are non compliant," Mr Douglas told him.

All of these vehicles would be liable to a daily charge of at least £8 if they ventured inside the Clean Air Zone that circles the city centre. A council spokesperson later confirmed all charges accrued would be payable by the relevant council department. They were unable to provide up to date figures detailing the total cost to date of CAZ fees and fines paid by the council and we have submitted a Freedom of Information Act request asking for it.

The council's fleet of waste and street cleaning vehicles, including bin lorries, and the cars and minibuses used to transport children and young people, were separately controlled and were not included in the analysis.

Cllr Rob Pocock, Labour cabinet member overseeing the council's transformation agenda, said the uncertainty was a 'perfect example' of the challenges facing the council, which is currently in special measures and overseen by commissioners. "Across the council there are different insurance and taxing arrangements, different ways of dealing with maintenance. It is highly fragmented...inefficient and a very poor way a council this size should be running its fleet."

A 'vehicle amnesty' day was now taking place next Monday (18th) when all council staff in all directorates were to provide details of every vehicle used by or accessible to them or their team, to help create a new master database. "That should give us a live snapshot, and a much more informed and accurate baseline," said Mr Douglas.

"We need to ensure those vehicles we operate are legally compliant and protect our staff from occupational road risks and protect other road users and the public." He said the data available suggested the council owned 700 general use vehicles, leased 100 and hired another 700, which seemed 'highly unusual'.

Cllr David Barker (Lab, Brandwood and Kings Heath) said he was 'very concerned'. He asked: "How have we not had an exact knowledge of all our vehicles until now? What possible circumstances existed that this council did not know how many vehicles we have? I am genuinely really confused."

Cllr Pocock added: "This situation picks up what is fundamentally wrong with how this council has been run for a very long time, beyond this current administration, going back over 10-20 years. This council has run its affairs by federal arrangements, not a centrally controlled one.

"We have allowed to be created semi autonomous directorates, with very powerful directors and division heads delegated the power to make decisions, to buy, lease or hire a vehicle, without central control. We need to bring to this council a much stronger corporate centre.

"This is but one example, you could apply the same to hiring of staff, or agency workers, exactly the same problem. We are now engaged in bringing about a reintegration of this council across the piece. This one example is indicative of a systemic problem in how this council has been managing its affairs."

Brumwish 2024 - buy a gift for a child in need

BrumWish 2024 is Birmingham Live's festive drive to get thousands of gifts to children and young people across our city - among them the homeless, the vulnerable, kids in care, kids who are poorly or struggling, and kids who have little.

There are THREE simple ways to help.

1. Buy a new gift from the Brumwish 2024 Amazon giftlist. In just a click your donation will be whizzing its way to our volunteers at Edgbaston Stadium.
2. Donate money to the appeal fund hosted by Thrive Together Birmingham - this will help pay for gifts for kids with specialist needs or specific wishes.
3. Buy a gift and, even better, rope in friends, neighbours and workmates to do the same, then drop off your pressies at Edgbaston Stadium, Edgbaston Road, B5 7QU on Friday 6th December, 10am - 3pm; Saturday 7th December, 10am - 1pm; or Monday 9th December, 10am - 1pm. Volunteers will be there to help you. Please don't wrap your gifts. You can also drop off by arrangement until Monday 16th December - contact Louise on 07469 979286.

Thanks to our partnership with #Toys4Birmingham, every single gift will find a good home in the loving care of a child living in B&Bs or hotels, hostels or refuges, children receiving support from specialist organisations and charities, and families being supported by children's centres and charities around the city.

Making up the Brumwish and Toys4Birmingham gang are Thrive Together Birmingham, Birmingham Playcare Network, Warwickshire Cricket Foundation (the charitable arm of Warwickshire County Cricket Club), Birmingham Forward Steps and BirminghamLive/Birmingham Mail.

Thank you to Amazon UK and the amazing team at the Sutton Coldfield depot for their support.

Cllr Marsham asked if it could be said that every vehicle now on the road was tax compliant and insured. Mr Douglas told him: "This might not be the answer you want, but no, not based on the information we hold at present. Following the amnesty day and the analysis of that data we will be in a position to say that they are all taxed, MOT'd, insured, maintained, inspected and repaired accordingly."

Cllr Parkin (Cons, Sutton Reddicap), who used to run a car management operation, told the committee that 'listening to these statistics and the lack of oversight is astonishing...we are all a bit gobsmacked. We need to address this, it has clearly been fragmented for such a long time, I am just amazed. We seem to lift up stones and discover something new each time."