Charging Clean Air Zones: Local Authority Plans

A detailed overview of authority plans* for charging Clean Air Zones (CAZs) as of wc. 30 May 2022 can be found in the table below.

Types of charging CAZ

There are four types of charging CAZ, which will be indicated on signs through the letters A–D.

A: Buses, coaches, taxis and private hire vehicles

B: As above, plus Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs)

C: As above, plus Light Goods Vehicles (LGVs)

D: As above, plus cars

Location	Zone proposed	Current status	Further information
Basildon		Non-Charging CAZ, combined with other air quality measures (submitted to Defra March 2019). Council voted against the notion of introducing a Charging CAZ. Discussions with Defra ongoing on alternative to the CAZ plan, pending a public consultation.	Essex Highways
Bath		Zone launched 15 March 2021. Daily charges: Coaches, buses and HGVs: £100. Taxis (Hackney Carriages & Private Hire), minibuses and vans: £9. Private HGVs (e.g. motorhomes): £100 (may be reduced if registered with Council) A number of exemptions apply.	Bath & North East Somerset Council
Birmingham		Zone launched 1 June, charging commenced 14 June. Daily charges: Private cars: £8. Coaches, buses and HGVs: £50. Taxis (Hackney Carriages & Private Hire): £8. Vans, minibuses and LGVs: £8. A number of exemptions will apply.	Brum Breathes
Bradford		Launch delayed – now expected August / September 2022. Charges proposed: Coaches, buses and HGVs: £50 / day. Taxis (Hackney Carriages & Private Hire): £12.50 / day. Vans, minibuses and LGVs: £9 / day. A number of exemptions will apply.	Breathe Better Bradford
Bristol		Launch delayed – now expected Winter 2022. The effects of the pandemic and global supply chain issues relating to the availability of replacement vehicles have been cited as being behind the delay.	Bristol City Council Clean Air for Bristol
Broxbourne	N/A	Hertfordshire County Council / Broxbourne Borough Council instructed by Defra to draw up plans for Charging CAZ on area surrounding a stretch of the A10 near Broxbourne. Plans have now been shelved.	Broxbourne Borough Council
Cambridge (Greater Cambridge Partnership) Cambridge City Council, Cambridgeshire County Council, South Cambridgeshire District Council	TBC	Potential for Class C charging CAZ as part of air quality plans under development, as well as a future Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ). Further consultation expected.	Cambridge City Council
Cardiff	N/A	Charging CAZ removed from air quality plan following public consultation. Welsh Government instructed authority to reconsider a charging CAZ, but has now agreed alternative non-charging clean air plans as of January 2020. However, Council is now considering a congestion charge as part of a wider 10-year transport vision for the city.	Cardiff City Council
Coventry	N/A	Directed by Defra to implement a Charging CAZ in May 2019. Council has now agreed with Defra to introduce alternative measures to reduce emissions.	Coventry City Council
Leeds	N/A	Approved by Defra January 2019. Charges: Taxis (Hackney Carriages & Private Hire): £12.50 / day. Minibuses (from 2022): £12.50 / day. HGVs, coaches and buses: £50 / day. A number of exemptions apply. Launch delayed until 2021 at the earliest. The City Council confirmed on 13 October that a charging CAZ was ‘no longer required’ to meet legal air quality limits in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.	Leeds City Council
Leicester	N/A	Draft proposal for CAZ submitted to Government; final business case expected. Plans have now been shelved.	Leicester City Council
Liverpool	TBC	Council is considering Clean Air Plan – have confirmed a charging CAZ is ‘highly likely’. Consultation will follow. Launch expected 2022 at earliest.	Liverpool City Council Let’s Clear The Air
Manchester (Greater Manchester Combined Authority) Bolton, Bury, Manchester, Oldham, Rochdale, Salford, Stockport, Tameside, Trafford and Wigan		Launch postponed – plans now to focus on just Manchester city centre area. Combined Authority now working on new Clean Air Plan by July 2022. The effects of the pandemic and global supply chain issues relating to the availability of replacement vehicles have been cited as being behind the delay. Mayor Andy Burnham has called on Government to scrap charges at the zone.	Clean Air Greater Manchester
Newcastle, Gateshead and North Tyneside		Launch delayed – revised timeline being discussed with Government. Charges proposed: Coaches, buses and HGVs: £50 / day. Taxis (Hackney Carriages & Private Hire): £12.50 / day. Vans, minibuses and LGVs: £12.50 / day.	Newcastle City Council
Oxford		Pilot zone launched in heart of city centre on 28 February 2022. Possible wider extension later (based on further consultation). Daily charges: Zero emission vehicle: £0 / day. Ultra-low emissions vehicle: £2 / day. Low emission vehicle: £4 / day. All other vehicles: £10 / day.	Oxford City Council
Portsmouth		Zone launched 29 November 2021. Charges: Coaches, buses and HGVs: £50 / day. Taxis (Hackney Carriages & Private Hire): £10 / day. A number of exemptions will apply.	Portsmouth City Council
Sheffield		Launch delayed until early 2023. Charges proposed: Coaches, buses and HGVs: £50 / day. Taxis (Hackney Carriages & Private Hire): £10 / day. Vans, minibuses and LGVs: £10 / day.	Sheffield City Council
Stoke-on-Trent City Council and Newcastle Borough Council		Defra has instructed the authorities to reduce levels of NO2 by 2023, with the potential for a charging CAZ. The council is currently modelling the use of a CAZ, with any future scheme to launch by 2024.

* PLEASE NOTE: This article is intended to track the development of charging Clean Air Zones in England and Wales, and is updated periodically based on information that becomes available in the public domain.

Any questions regarding a particular charging Clean Air Zone should be directed to the specific local authority, rather than PATROL.