The Clean Air Zone (CAZ), an initiative to reduce air pollution in Birmingham City Centre, comes into full effect today.
Unlike a familiar congestion charge, this scheme charges drivers who do not drive a compliant vehicle. The charges apply to cars, vans, HGVs, taxis, busses and coaches, but not motorcycles.
If you live in the city centre, you will be excluded from this charge if your vehicle meets the national emissions standard, which you can find out here.
Where Does Birmingham’s Clean Air Zone Cover?
The zone includes the entire city centre from within the A4540 Middleway ring road, but not the Middleway itself.
How Much Could I Be Charged?
The daily charge for cars, taxis and vans that do not meet the zone’s requirements is £8. The charges must be paid either on the day, six days before your visit or six days after, and you could be charged £120 for failure to pay.
As the charges are daily, you’ll be charged twice if you enter the city at 23:59 and leave past midnight. You must also be aware of any outstanding charges because you won’t receive notifications, letters or text messages about them.
If you know a charge needs to be paid, you can do this through the government’s online payment system or by calling the National Contact Centre on 0300 029 8888.
Who Qualifies For Clean Air Zone Exemption?
Exemption permits are available for residents, workers and commercial vehicles if you meet specific criteria. Permits last for 12 months but can be renewed for the following 12 months too, so potentially two years. You can apply for one by visiting here.
Residents Living In The Clean Air Zone
For city-centre residents, a temporary exemption permit is available for those who meet all three of the following criteria:
- You live at an address within the Clean Air Zone.
- You own a vehicle that does not meet the emission standards for the Clean Air Zone and will be subject to the daily charge.
- The vehicle is registered to the same address you live at.
How Will Residents Be Affected By The Clean Air Zone?
Other than the possibility of a charge, residents can enjoy the effect of living in a region that promotes cleaner, healthier air quality, with less pollution.
What Other Transport Options Are Available?
We encourage Birmingham city centre residents to take advantage of the many green alternatives available in the city, as this will help you to avoid charges and contribute to the initiative.
These include walking, cycling, using the Voi e-scooters or one of the 300 new bicycles available for hire. On top of this, you should also look to utilise the city’s public transport system where possible.
If you have any questions regarding the Clean Air Zone, or general Birmingham city life, please feel free to contact us on 0121 366 0456 or leave us a message here.
