You may have noticed the signs popping up all over Sheffield about the new Clean Air Zone which starts in a little over a week’s time. It’s modelled on the London clean air zone and is designed to financially penalise businesses operating the most polluting vehicles on our roads.
The link between vehicle emissions and illness is well documented. It has also been widely reported that the UK has repeatedly missed legally binding emissions reduction targets agreed to in International treaties. One of the responses that has been used before successfully is a clean air zone.
Just look at London where the average age of the heavy vehicle fleet has dropped significantly since the introduction of their zone.
Clean Air Zone: Where is it?
It’s fairly easy to find, basically its any area inside the Sheffield inner ring road. So anything inside the loop created by the A61, St Mary’s Gate, Hanover Way and Netherthorpe Road.
Signs outside this area are warnings of the Clean Air Zone and do not mark the boarder.
Clean Air Zone: Who will be affected?
Currently the zone will not affect private cars or motorcycles so the majority of learner drivers will not be affected. However those who are learning to drive for work may find themselves travelling into the zone in chargeable vehicles.
These vehicles include:
- Taxis. Both private hire vehicles like City Taxis and Ubers and Hackney Carriages, (those you do not need to prebook or summon with an app). Cars used for taxi work that are either Euro 5 Diesel or older and Euro 4 Petrol or older are subject to charge.
- Light Goods Vehicles either Euro 5 Diesel and older or Euro 4 Petrol and older. These include vans, pick-up trucks, minibuses and camper vans.
- Buses and coaches which are below Euro 6 Diesel.
- Heavy Goods Vehicles which are below Euro 6 Diesel.
There is a checker on the Government website which will tell you if your vehicle is subject to charges or not. You can find it here.
If you are self employed or a business owner operating a business which will be affected by the Clean Air Zone you can apply to the council for assistance in upgrading your vehicle. If you have already upgraded after 26th October 2021 you can get financial help retrospectively.
Clean Air Zone: Are any vehicles exempt?
National exemptions apply to ultra low emissions vehicles, vehicles with the taxation class of Disabled Passenger Vehicle, military vehicles, historic vehicles and vehicles retrofitted with technology accredited by the Clean Vehicle Retrofit Accreditation Scheme.
There is also a national exemption for certain agricultural vehicles.
Local exemptions are listed below.
Clean Air Zone: What will it cost me?
If your vehicle doesn’t meet the requirements and doesn’t have an exemption you will need to pay to drive on or inside the inner ring road. ANPR cameras will spot your vehicle inside the zone boundary and you will need to pay the charge. On the start of the zone the charges are £10 for vans, LGVs and taxis or £50 for coaches, buses and HGVs.
The charges apply each day you drive in the zone. You can pay online either on the day of your journey or on the six days either side of your journey. Failure to pay on time could result in a penalty charge notice.
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