What are we doing to lower air pollution

Active Travel

Voi escooter trial launched in Spring 2021 followed by the Beryl bikeshare scheme in Autumn 2022.

Clean Air Zone

In November 2021, Portsmouth City Council launched a Clean Air Zone following central government identifying Portsmouth as one of 60 local authorities where air pollution was in excess of legal limits. A ministerial directive was issued to the Council in March 2020 to introduce a Clean Air Zone in the south-west of the city, with £3.4 million funding₁ offered to install and promote the Zone and build volumes of new electric vehicle charging stations.

Additionally, £3.2 million was awarded for the Clean Air Fund to assist in upgrading non-compliant vehicles. In the first three months of the CAZ₂, funding supported the upgrade of 66 HGVs, 162 buses and coaches, and 119 taxis and private hire vehicles including 26 which are wheelchair accessible.

Find out more on the Clean Air Zone here.

Electric vehicle charging points

Read more on our work to install more electric vehicle charging points here.

Engine idling

A city-wide multimedia marketing campaign launched in December 2022 to educate residents that one minute of engine idling equals 150 balloons worth of harmful emissions₃ released into the air with the campaign: When you stop, engine stops.

To support the campaign, Portsmouth City Council launched an engine idling reporting tool.

Report engine idling here.

Find out more about the campaign.

The balloons featured in this campaign are computer generated in line with promoting sustainable environments and ethical advertising.

Previous campaigns include Cough Cough Engine Off.

Portsmouth International Port

Read more on how the Port is working towards becoming one of the UK’s first zero emission ports here.

School Streets

Read more on how schools are lowering motorised traffic during drop off and pick up times here.

Wightlink

Read more on Wightlink’s Green Solent Project here.