Sheffield has become the latest city to implement a clean air zone, which it hopes will end around 500 deaths a year attributed to pollution.
From Monday, the most polluting commercial vehicles will have to pay a daily fee of £10 for older taxis and vans, or £50 for buses and older HGVs, to enter a zone covering the centre. of the city and the inner ring road. Private cars will be exempt from the charge.
The zone’s launch comes a month after Newcastle and Gateshead implemented similar schemes and means Sheffield becomes the eighth English city to charge drivers of older diesel vehicles to improve air quality.
Sheffield has been directed by the government to implement its new clean air zone to reduce pollution after years of nitrogen dioxide (NOtwo) in the city showing up above the legal limits.
Ultra-low emission zone (Ulez) launched April 2019 in central congestion zone; extended October 2021; due to cover Greater London from August.
Noncompliant private cars, vans and taxis pay £12.50 a day. Older lorries and buses pay under the London-wide low emission zone, launched in 2008 and increased to a daily charge of £100 in 2021.
Bath
Clean air zone (CAZ) over a wide central area since June 2021. No charge for private cars; noncompliant taxis and vans £9 a day, buses, coaches and HGVs £100 a day.
Birmingham
Two-mile CAZ within the Middleway ring road since June 2021. £8 a day for older cars, taxis or vans, £50 for buses and HGVs.
Bradford
Two-mile wide CAZ within inner ring road extending to Shipley, since September 2022. No charge for cars; noncompliant taxis £7, vans £9, £50 for buses, coaches and HGVs.
Bristol
City centre CAZ launched in November 22. £9 a day for older cars, taxis or vans, £100 for buses, coaches and HGVs.
Portsmouth
City centre CAZ stretching to the ferry terminal since November 2021. No charge for cars; noncompliant taxis £10 a day, buses, coaches and HGVs £50 a day.
Sheffield
CAZ launches on 27 February 2023. No charge for cars; noncompliant taxis or vans £10 a day, buses and HGVs £50 a day.
Tyneside
Newcastle upon Tyne and Gateshead centres covered by CAZ since 30 January 2023. No charge for cars; noncompliant taxis £12.50 a day (or £50 a week), buses, coaches and HGVs £50 a day.
Gwyn Topham
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Quick guide
How England’s Clean Air Zones Compare
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London
Ultra-low emission zone (Ulez) launched in April 2019 in the central congestion zone; extended October 2021; due to cover Greater London from August.
Non-compliant private cars, vans and taxis pay £12.50 per day. Older trucks and buses pay in the low emission zone in London, launched in 2008 and increased to a daily fee of £100 in 2021.
Bath
Clean Air Zone (CAZ) in a wide central area since June 2021. Free for private cars; non-compliant taxis and vans £9 per day, buses, coaches and HGVs £100 per day.
birmingham
Two mile CAZ on Middleway Ring Road from June 2021. £8 per day for older cars, taxis or vans, £50 for buses and lorries.
bradford
Two mile wide CAZ within inner ring road extending to Shipley, effective September 2022. No charge for cars; non-compliant taxis £7, vans £9, coaches £50, coaches and lorries.
Bristol
The CAZ in the city center was launched on 22 November. £9 per day for older cars, taxis or vans, £100 for buses, coaches and HGVs.
Portsmouth
CAZ city center extending to the ferry terminal since November 2021. No charge for cars; non-compliant taxis £10 per day, buses, coaches and HGVs £50 per day.
sheffield
CAZ launches February 27, 2023. No charge for cars; non-compliant taxis or vans £10 per day, buses and trucks £50 per day.
tyneside
Newcastle upon Tyne and Gateshead centers covered by CAZ from 30th January 2023. No charge for cars; non-compliant taxis £12.50 per day (or £50 per week), buses, coaches and HGVs £50 per day.
Gwyn Topham
Despite a £20m support package to help vehicle owners upgrade and several temporary waivers, the move has met with some local opposition.
Councilor Mazher Iqbal, co-chair of the transport regeneration climate policy committee, said he recognizes the financial impact on companies that have to buy cleaner vehicles or pay fees: “We have been fighting with the government to increase this financial support. We have 17,500 vehicles that need to make this transition. The government only gave us funding of 2,500.”
But, he added, “It will get these dirty, polluting vehicles off our roads. And the more we do that, the better, the cleaner the air.”
Greg Fell, Director of Public Health in Sheffield, said: “Somewhere between 250 and 500 people in Sheffield die every year from air pollution. Respiratory doctors and lung cancer doctors have seen children hospitalized for asthma, almost certainly because of air pollution.
“The clean air zone will certainly accelerate the long-term downward trend in air pollution in the city. But the reality is that we breathe air today that is above the legal limit and is killing people.”
Fell said most people wouldn’t notice the impact of the scheme, but said he accepted that there was “a lobby of people who don’t want this to happen. All I can say is, as the director of public health, it’s definitely the right thing to do.”
Taxi drivers queuing outside Sheffield station this week remained skeptical. Mohammad, who has worked as a taxi driver in the city for 31 years, said: “They will charge us £10 a day, but where is all the pollution going? Will they clean it? he said. “I work five days a week and it costs me £50 free.”
Another driver, Riyadh, said the cost of living had him working many more hours a day to keep up. He added: “If you want this for the environment, you have to ban everyone. They want us to buy new cars but there are no funds and they know our budgets cannot cover it.”
As per the other clean air zones, all diesel vehicles below Euro 6 emission standards, or commercial cars and vans below Euro 4 petrol standards, will be liable for the fee.
Non-compliant private cars are charged in the clean air zones of Bristol and Birmingham, as well as London’s ultra-low emissions zone, which is due to be expanded in August to the whole of Greater London.