Hints & Tips, News
Euro Six Restrictions and Clean Air Charges
January 5, 2022 - Hints & Tips, News
As environmental pollution is becoming a growing concern, the government are starting to introduce more restrictions for vehicles to create “Clean Air Zones”, usually based in and around city centres. If your vehicle exceeds emission standards, you will be charged daily to drive through these “Clean Air Zones”.
Currently, there are four different types of Clear Air Zones, each targeting different vehicles.
- Class A – Buses, Coaches and Private Hire Vehicles,
- Class B – Buses, Coaches, Taxis, Private Hire Vehicles and HGVs
- Class C – Buses, Taxis, Private Hire Vehicles and HGVs
- Class D – Buses, Coaches, Taxis, Private Hire Vehicles , HGVs, LGVs and cars.
Currently, the majority of Clear Air Zones to be implemented are going to be Class D with the exception of a few cities.
There are some exemptions from these Clear Air Zones, but these will vary across the cities.
What are the emission standards?
To travel within a Clean Air Zone without charge, your vehicle must be compliant with the emission standards.
Currently, if your vehicle is running on petrol, then it must be at least a Euro 4 emission standard compliant (registered after January 2006).
If your vehicle is a diesel, then it must be Euro 6 emission standard compliant (registered after September 2015)
If your vehicle comes under the targeted category in your city and isn’t compliant with these standards, you will be charged daily.
Clean Air Zone Cities
Cities that already have Clear Air Zones are:
London – London is an Ultra Low Emission Zone and operates 24 hours a day 7 days a week, except for Christmas day
Portsmouth – Portsmouth Clean Air Zone has only recently started in November 2021 and is a Class B Zone
Bath – Bath has been a Class B Zone since it started in March 2021
Birmingham – Birmingham kicked off their Class D Clean Air Zone on 1st June 2021
Cities to get Clean Air Zones are:
Manchester – Manchester will introduce their first phase 30th May 202, with the second phase starting on 1st June 2023
Oxford – A Zero Emission Zone will start in Oxford in February 2022
Dundee – Dundee will introduce a Class C Clean Air Zone on 30th May 2022
Edinburgh – 31st May 2022 will see the start of Edinburgh’s Class C Air Zone
Aberdeen – Aberdeen’s Class C Air Zone will also come into place in May 2022
Newcastle – Newcastle was set to start their Class C Air Zone in January 2021 but due to complications, it has now been set back to the summer of 2022 with no official date set.
Sheffield – Sheffield also do not have a date set but will be expected to bring in their Clear Air Zone at the end of 2022
How much will I be charged?
The amount you pay for these charges will depend on your vehicle type, and the city you are in.
London –
Cost per day for HGVs, buses and coaches: £100
Cost per day for taxis: £12.50
Cost per day for regular passenger cars: £12.50
Portsmouth –
Cost per day for HGVs, buses and coaches: £50 (est)
Cost per day for taxis: £10 (est)
Cost per day for regular passenger cars: £10 (est)
Bath –
Cost per day for HGVs, buses and coaches: £100
Cost per day for taxis: £9
Cost per day for regular passenger cars: £0
Birmingham –
Cost per day for HGVs, buses and coaches: £50
Cost per day for taxis: £8
Cost per day for regular passenger cars: £8
Manchester –
Cost per day for HGVs, buses and coaches: £60, vans £10 (est)
Cost per day for taxis: £7.50 (est)
Cost per day for regular passenger cars: £0
Oxford –
Cost per day for HGVs, buses and coaches: £2, £4 or £10
Cost per day for taxis: £2, £4 or £10
Cost per day for regular passenger cars: £2, £4 or £10
Dundee –
Cost per day for HGVs, buses and coaches: £60
Cost per day for taxis: Unknown
Cost per day for regular passenger cars: £60
Edinburgh –
Cost per day for HGVs, buses and coaches: £60
Cost per day for taxis: Unknown
Cost per day for regular passenger cars: £60
Aberdeen –
Cost per day for HGVs, buses and coaches: £60
Cost per day for taxis: Unknown
Cost per day for regular passenger cars: £60
Newcastle –
Cost per day for HGVs, buses and coaches: £50 (est)
Cost per day for taxis: £12.50, vans also £12.50 (est)
Cost per day for regular passenger cars: £0
Sheffield –
Cost per day for HGVs, buses and coaches: £50 (est)
Cost per day for taxis: £10, vans and lorries also £10 (est)
Cost per day for regular passenger cars: £0
Bradford –
Cost per day for HGVs, buses and coaches: £50 (est)
Cost per day for taxis: £12.50 (LGVs and minibuses £9) (est)
Cost per day for regular passenger cars: £0
Bristol –
Cost per day for HGVs, buses and coaches: £100
Cost per day for taxis: £9
Cost per day for regular passenger cars: £9
Which vehicles are exempt?
There are some vehicles which are exempt from the charge, some of these exemptions are national and others are based locally.
National exemptions include:
- a vehicle that’s ultra low emission
- a disabled passenger tax class vehicle
- a disabled tax class vehicle
- a military vehicle
- a historic vehicle
- a vehicle retrofitted with technology accredited by the Clean Vehicle Retrofit Accreditation Scheme (CVRAS)
- certain types of agricultural vehicles
You can check with your local authorities to find out more exemption rules near you
