Charging Clean Air Zones: Local Authority Plans

A detailed overview of authority plans* for charging Clean Air Zones (CAZs) as of wc. 31 August 2021 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. Charges: Coaches, buses and HGVs: £100 / day. Taxis (Hackney Carriages & Private Hire), minibuses and vans: £9 / day. Private HGVs (e.g. motorhomes): £100 / day (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. Charges: Private cars: £8 / day. Coaches, buses and HGVs: £50 / day. Taxis (Hackney Carriages & Private Hire). Vans, minibuses and LGVs: £8 / day. A number of exemptions will apply.	Brum Breathes
Bradford		Launch expected from 5 January 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 from Summer 2022. Charges proposed: Private cars: £9 / day. Coaches, buses and HGVs: £100 / day. Taxis (Hackney Carriages & Private Hire): £9 / day. Vans, minibuses and LGVs: £9 / day. A number of exemptions will apply.	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 expected from May 2022 with the charging of HGVs and buses; other vehicles will follow in May 2023. Charges proposed: Coaches, buses and HGVs: £60 / day. Taxis (Hackney Carriages & Private Hire): £7.50 / day. Vans, minibuses and LGVs: £10 / day (temporary charge until 2023). A number of exemptions will apply.	Clean Air Greater Manchester
Newcastle, Gateshead and North Tyneside		Launch expected from July 2022. Charges proposed: Coaches, buses and HGVs: £50 / day. Taxis (Hackney Carriages & Private Hire): £12.50 / day. Vans, minibuses and LGVs: £12.50 / day.
Oxford		Single city centre zone proposed, with two launch phases. Pilot zone in heart of city centre planned for launch later in 2021, with wider extension in 2022 (based on further consultation).	Oxford City Council
Portsmouth		Launch expected from November 2021. Charges proposed: Coaches, buses and HGVs: £50 / day. Taxis (Hackney Carriages & Private Hire): £10 / day. A number of exemptions will apply.	Portsmouth City Council
Sheffield	N/A	Consultation for scheme backed by large majority of public on 23 March 2020. Launch date originally proposed for 2021. In September 2020, the Council announced that alternative measures to a CAZ are now being considered, following a 33% drop in air pollution during the initial COVID-19 lockdown period.	Sheffield City Council
Stoke-on-Trent City Council and Newcastle Borough Council		The council is considering a charging zone, pending authorisation from Defra. Launch would be 2023 at the earliest.

* 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.