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. Since July 2024 Voi has been the sole provider for e-scooters and e-bikes in Portsmouth, as well as in Southampton and on the Isle of Wight.

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 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 CAZ, funding supported the upgrade of 66 HGVs, 162 buses and coaches, and 119 taxis and private hire vehicles including 26 which are wheelchair accessible₂.

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 June 2024 to educate and encourage residents and visitors to take small but important steps to reduce air pollution. Find out more about the campaign.

Previous campaigns include:
When you stop, engine stops.
Cough Cough Engine Off.

Please report any engine idling on our online form, which is used to highlight hotspots and inform future campaigns. Report engine idling here.

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.