The Traffic Penalty Tribunal is alerting motorists to the launch of Clean Air Zones in England (outside London), with the first zone launching in the city centre of Bath on Monday 15 March, followed by Birmingham on 1 June.
Designed to improve air quality, Clean Air Zones (CAZs) are defined geographic areas within city centres, where local authorities will charge certain vehicles with emissions that do not meet a specified Euro standard.
In the Bath CAZ, operated by Bath & North East Somerset Council, this will include buses, coaches, taxis, private hire vehicles, heavy goods vehicles, vans and minibuses. In the Birmingham zone, operated by Birmingham City Council, private cars will also be included.
Key points
- Motorists should check as soon as possible if their vehicle is compliant at the GOV.UK Vehicle Checker.
- Charges will apply daily and payment of the charge must be made to the central GOV.UK service – not to the local authority operating the scheme.
- Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) of £120 will be issued for each day payment is not received for a non-compliant vehicle used in the zone.
- Motorists can appeal PCNs to the Traffic Penalty Tribunal – the independent adjudicator for traffic penalties in England (outside London) and Wales – using its award-winning, free, fully online service.
How do I check my vehicle’s emissions and pay the charge?
Motorists should go online to use the GOV.UK Vehicle Checker as soon as possible to see if their vehicle’s emissions will face a charge in one of the CAZs.
Drivers should also be particularly aware of the charging and payment conditions that apply to CAZs, distinct from those seen in London with the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ). Charges for using a vehicle in a CAZ are not paid to the local authority operating the zone, but to the central GOV.UK service, either:
- up to six days in advance of, or
- no later than six days after (by 11.59pm on the sixth day) using a vehicle in a zone.
A central telephone helpdesk and payments line is also available on 0300 029 8888 (Mon–Fri, 8am to 4.30pm).
The charges for the Bath and Birmingham CAZs will apply daily, 7 days a week, 365 days a year, from midnight to midnight. So, a vehicle entering a zone at 11pm and leaving at 1am the next morning would need to pay two daily charges.
Exemptions apply – both on a national level (e.g. emergency service vehicles) and locally (e.g. community transport providers) – as do local discounts. Motorists should check if they are eligible with the local authority operating the scheme.
How will I know a Clean Air Zone is in operation?
Signage on roads in and around the zone, showing a white cloud symbol within a green circle, will indicate that a CAZ scheme is in operation. A letter A–D will also be included on the symbol (see images below), denoting the class of zone that applies.
The 4 x ascending lettered classes of CAZ relate to the different groups of vehicle that are charged. The Bath CAZ is a Class C, where non-compliant buses, coaches, taxis, private hire vehicles, heavy goods vehicles, vans and minibuses will be charged. The Birmingham CAZ, as a Class D, will charge non-compliant private cars in addition. Find out more about the types of vehicle that will be charged.
What happens if payment is not made in time?
Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) of £120 will be issued for each day a non-compliant vehicle is used in a CAZ and payment is not made on time.
Motorists who disagree with a PCN have the right to make representations to the local authority that issued the penalty. If those representations are unsuccessful, an appeal can be submitted to the Traffic Penalty Tribunal.
The Tribunal provides an internationally renowned, fully online appeals system, where motorists can easily upload evidence to support their case, communicate through instant messaging and get a decision from an independent lawyer adjudicator, often within days. Find out more about appealing to the Tribunal.
Information on the enforcement and appeals process for PCNs issued by local authorities operating CAZs will be added to the Traffic Penalty Tribunal website as new zones go live. View the PCN / Appeal process for the Bath Clean Air Zone.
‘The Bath Clean Air Zone is the first of a new type of charging scheme outside London. Many motorists will have never seen the new signs or know if the scheme applies to their vehicle. The requirement to pay charges to a central GOV.UK payment service, not the authority, is also very unfamiliar.
– Caroline Sheppard OBE, Chief Adjudicator
