Clean Air Zone

See also: Low-emission zone

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]}

Clean Air Zone

Clean Air Zone traffic sign symbol
Location	See § List of Clean Air Zones
Launched	5 March 2021 (in Bath)[1]

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	Euro Category	Charge applies to vehicles below this Euro standard
	Bus[a] Coach[a]	M3	Euro VI
	Taxi and private hire	M2, M1	Euro 6 (diesel) Euro 4 (petrol)
	Bus[a] Coach[a]	M3	Euro VI
	Heavy goods vehicle (HGV) [b]	N2, N3
	Taxi and private hire	M2, M1	Euro 6 (diesel) Euro 4 (petrol)
	Bus[a] Coach[a]	M3	Euro VI
	Heavy goods vehicle (HGV)[b]	N2, N3
	Taxi and private hire	M2, M1	Euro 6 (diesel) Euro 4 (petrol)
	Minibus[c]	M2
	Light goods vehicle (LGV)[d]	N1
	Bus[a] Coach[a]	M3	Euro VI
	Heavy goods vehicle (HGV)[b]	N2,N3
	Minibus[c]	M2	Euro 6 (diesel) Euro 4 (petrol)
	Light goods vehicle (LGV)[d]	N1
	Taxi and private hire	M1
	Private cars
	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 but not including 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

• Greater London has a Low Emission Zone and an Ultra Low Emission Zone, covering the majority of the city
  • In central London there is a Congestion Charge, a different type of charge for motor vehicles
• Oxford has a Zero Emission Zone in the city centre
• Edinburgh, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Dundee each have a Low Emission Zone in their centres

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)[e]	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	[f]
Glasgow	LEZ	2018 (expanded to cars in 2023)	Covers the city centre	[g]

Notes

1. Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) more than 5,000 kilograms (5.0 t) and carries 8 or more passengers.
2. Goods vehicles with a Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) over 3,500 kilograms (3.5 t).
3. Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) less than 5,000 kilograms (5.0 t) and carries 8 or more passengers.
4. Goods vehicle with a Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW) under 3,500 kilograms (3.5 t).
5. 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
6. First zero emission zone in the UK
7. Unlike other LEZ/CAZ schemes, non-complaint vehicles cannot pay to enter Glasgow's LEZ and will be fined £60.^[22]

References

1. 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.

External links

• Nitrogen Dioxide Emissions - Euro 6 vs Older Euro Standard Engines
• Carbon Monoxide Emissions - Euro 6 vs Older Euro Standard Engines