Clean air is an essential asset for all living creatures but the quality of air is affected by pollution coming from factories, various industries, and vehicles. This becomes a serious issue especially in big cities with lots of traffic.
To make sure the UK is a welcoming, healthy and prosperous country, authorities have come up with Clean Air Zones and many cities across the country have already implemented them, with a few more to follow this year.
Let’s have a look at what CAZs are and whether or not you have to pay the fee!
What Is a Clean Air Zone?
Clean Air Zones are areas within towns or cities where targeted measures are in place to improve the quality of air and resources are being used to change the urban environment to deliver increased health benefits and support economic growth.
Implementing Clean Air Zones immediately improves air quality and health and, in the long run, supports the transition to a low emission economy by encouraging cleaner vehicles. Some CAZs require vehicle owners to pay a fee, while others don’t.
Do I Have to Pay a Clean Air Zone Fee?
Non-charging Clear Air Zones can be transited without needing to pay a fee. In charging Clean Air Zones, drivers have to pay a charge if their vehicle does not meet the particular standard for their vehicle type in that zone.
There are four types of CAZs and each target a different group of vehicles:
• Class A applies to buses, coaches, taxis, and private hire vehicles
• Class B will target the same vehicles as Class A, plus heavy goods vehicles.
• Class C includes all the vehicles in Class B, with the addition of vans and minibuses.
• Class D applies to all vehicles in Class C, plus cars. Local authorities have the option to also include motorcycles.
To find out whether or not you need to pay a CAZ fee, check the clean air zone minimum emission standard for your type of vehicle:
• Buses, coaches and heavy goods vehicles with a Euro 6 standard or above do not have to pay.
• Vans, minibuses, taxis, private hire vehicles and cars above a Euro 6 standard for diesel and Euro 4 standard for petrol are exempt from paying the fee.
• Motorcycles are exempt if they are Euro 3 or above.
The UK cities with Clean Air Zones are:
• Bath — Class C
• Birmingham — Class D
• Bradford — Class C starting in spring 2022
• London — Low or ultra-low emission zones
• Greater Manchester — Class C starting in May 2022
• Newcastle — Class C starting in July 2022
• Portsmouth — Class B
Paying a Clean Air Zone Fee
If it turns out that you do have to pay the CAZ fee, you can do so here. You can pay 6 days in advance or 6 days after you travel. And, to make sure you don’t forget to make the payment, set up a task in Lifefyle to act as a reminder either before your trip or after.
If you don’t have the ultimate app for simplifying life admin yet, make sure to download it now.
