A Wiltshire councillor has welcomed the Bath Clean Air Zone proposals as a good move for improving public health.

Cllr Sarah Gibson, a Wiltshire unitary ward member and Bradford on Avon town councillor, says she would like to see the model used locally.

She said: “The Bath Clean Air Zone is a step in the right direction for giving priority to health over traffic flow.

"I would like to see this used as a role model Bradford on Avon where stationary traffic is a major source of pollution.

"The weight limit introduced in January on the Cleveland Bridge in Bath, should give us advance warning of the impact of the Bath CAZ on Bradford on Avon.

"Discussions with Wiltshire Council on how to mitigate the effects of the exclusion of HGVs from Bath are ongoing."

It is feared the temporary 18-tonne weight restriction on the Cleveland Bridge which came into effect in January is already driving HGVs onto local roads.

It comes ahead of Bath and North East Somerset Council introducing its clean air zone proposals in November.

It is likely to impact all the major routes through west Wiltshire, including the A4, A36, A350, A361, A363 and A365.

Lance Allan, the chief executive of Trowbridge Town Council, said they will “look favourably” on Wiltshire Council introducing its own CAZ charges to counteract Bath’s.

Bradford on Avon and Westbury councils are already concerned about the effect of vehicle pollution on air quality.

BANES recently approved a £9-a-day charge on light vans, private hire vehicles and taxis, with a £100 daily charge for HGVs, coaches and buses.

Private cars will be exempt but the most polluting commercial vehicles such as buses and lorries will be charged.

The scheme now needs final government approval but the council still aims to launch the scheme on November 4.

BANES has secured £6 million of government funding, but another £18m is needed to install cameras to enforce the CAZ scheme.