Clean Air Zone

See also: Low-emission zone

Clean Air Zone
White cloud symbol on a light green circle
Clean Air Zone traffic sign symbol
LocationSee § List of Clean Air Zones
Launched5 March 2021 (in Bath)[1]

A Clean Air Zone (CAZ) is an area in the United Kingdom where targeted action is taken to improve air quality.[2] A CAZ can be non-charging or charging.[citation needed]

Whether a vehicle is charged when entering or moving through a CAZ depends on the type of vehicle and the Euro standard of the vehicle. The amount charged is up to the local authority responsible for the CAZ. Ultra-low-emission vehicles are not charged when entering or moving through a Clean Air Zone.

Classes of charging Clean Air Zone

Class Vehicle Charge applies to vehicles
below this Euro standard
Class A Bus
Coach 		Euro VI
Taxi and private hire Euro 6 (diesel)
Euro 4 (petrol)
Class B Bus
Coach
HGV 		Euro VI
Taxi and private hire Euro 6 (diesel)
Euro 4 (petrol)
Class C Bus
Coach
HGV 		Euro VI
Taxi and private hire
Minibus
LGV 		Euro 6 (diesel)
Euro 4 (petrol)
Class D Bus
Coach
HGV 		Euro VI
Taxi and private hire
Minibus
LGV
Private cars 		Euro 6 (diesel)
Euro 4 (petrol)
Motorcycles (optional)
Mopeds (optional) 		Euro 3

List of Clean Air Zones

Region Type Date of implementation Scope Notes References
Bath Class C 15 March 2021[1] A wide central area Reduced nitrogen dioxide levels by 26% in 2022/2023, meeting legal standards. [3][4]
Birmingham Class D 1 June 2021 All the roads within the A4540 Ring Road [5][6]
Bradford Class C+ September 2022 The area inside and including the Bradford outer ring road, extending to Shipley and Saltaire. [7]
Bristol Class D 28 November 2022 A wide central area extending the North Somerset boundary, including the main route between Wales and Bristol Airport. Originally planned as class B with additional diesel vehicle ban in parts of city centre between 07:00 and 15:00. Changed to class D due to government rejection. [8][9]
Derby Non-charging 2020 Traffic management measures on Stafford Street [10]
Greater Manchester Class B All local roads in the county Taxis and private hire vehicles registered within county exempt for first 12 months. Under review. [11][12][13]
Leeds Class B City centre All roads within the boundary of the A61 and A63. Plans postponed in 2020 due to COVID-19 pandemic in England. [14][15]
Leicester Class A Plans scrapped. [16]
Newcastle Class C July 2022 City centre [17]
Nottingham Non-charging 2020 Retrofitting buses, regulating taxis, converting council-owned vehicles [18]
Portsmouth Class B 29 November 2021 City centre area excluding port and naval base [19]
Sheffield Class C 27 February 2023 Inner ring road and the city centre [20]
Southampton Non-charging 2020 Retrofitting buses, regulating taxis, cleaner fuels and equipment at Southampton's port, cycling infrastructure [21]

Other emission zones

Other LEZ in the UK
Region Type Start date Scope Notes/references
London LEZ 2008 Covers HGVs and buses around the

Greater London area

London ULEZ 2019 (expanded in

2021 and 2023)[a]

Covers all other vehicles in the same

area as the LEZ

Oxford ZEZ 2022 Covers all non-electric vehicles in the city centre.

Operational 07:00 to 19:00 including Sundays

[b]
Glasgow LEZ 2018 (expanded to

cars in 2023)

Covers the city centre [c]

References

  1. ^ the initial ULEZ covered the same area as the congestion charge zone before expanding to cover the areas within (but not including) the A406/A205 in 2021. This was later expanded to cover the same area as the LEZ in 2023
  2. ^ First zero emission zone in the UK
  3. ^ Unlike other LEZ/CAZ schemes, non-complaint vehicles cannot pay to enter Glasgow's LEZ and will be fined £60.[22]
  1. ^ a b Bath's Clean Air Zone: Annual report summary 2021 (PDF). Bath: Bath & North East Somerset Council. 16 June 2022. p. 3. Archived from the original (PDF) on 27 August 2023. Retrieved 27 August 2023.
  2. ^ "Clean Air Zone Framework" (PDF). DEFRA and DfT. May 2017.
  3. ^ "Bath's Clean Air Zone". Bath and North East Somerset Council.
  4. ^ Barltrop, Paul (25 August 2023). "Bath air quality improves since introduction of clean air zone". BBC News. Retrieved 26 August 2023.
  5. ^ "A clean air zone for Birmingham". Birmingham City Council.
  6. ^ "Clean Air Zone timing and charges | A clean air zone for Birmingham | Birmingham City Council".
  7. ^ "Bradford Clean Air Zone to start in January 2022". BBC News. 2 March 2021.
  8. ^ Cork, Tristan (6 July 2022). "Clean Air Zone start date finally announced". Bristol Post. Retrieved 22 August 2022.
  9. ^ Rob. "CHARGES". Clean Air for Bristol. Retrieved 1 September 2021.
  10. ^ "Derby submit Outline Business Case to government which confirms no CAZ". Air Quality News. 5 March 2019.
  11. ^ "Greater Manchester Clean Air Plan proposals". Clean Air GM.
  12. ^ "Greater Manchester delays CAZ until 2022". Air Quality News. 21 May 2020.
  13. ^ "GMCA 210621 Report Clean Air Plan" (PDF). GMCA. 25 June 2021.
  14. ^ "Air Quality". Leeds City Council.
  15. ^ "Leeds Clean Air Zone suspended for the foreseeable future". Air Quality News. 19 August 2020.
  16. ^ "Leicester CAZ plans scrapped". Air Quality News. 6 April 2021.
  17. ^ "Latest delays to Newcastle Clean Air Zone pollution tolls 'condemning more of us to early deaths'". The Northern Echo. 26 July 2021.
  18. ^ "GClean air zone proposals". Sheffield City Council.
  19. ^ "Charging Clean Air Zone". Portsmouth City Council.
  20. ^ "Clean air zone proposals". Sheffield City Council.
  21. ^ "Clean Air Update". Southampton City Countil. January 2019. Archived from the original on 6 November 2019. Retrieved 6 November 2019.
  22. ^ "Glasgow's Low Emission Zone". Glasgow City Council. Retrieved 30 October 2024.