Abstract: A cleaner head for a cleaning appliance includes a dirt and dust separating apparatus, a motor configured to drive a fan for generating suction air flow and a selectively-operable switch for energizing the motor and cleaner head. The cleaner head has a drivable agitator in the form of a brush bar and a dedicated motor. When the main vacuum motor is switched on, the brush bar motor is energized so that the brush bar is automatically driven on start-up of the cleaner. This enables the superior cleaning performance achievable with a brush bar to be automatically achieved, without the user having to remember to select operation of the brush bar.