Fleet owners urged to prepare for more new Clean Air Zones
Fleet owners are being told to prepare for more new Clean Air Zones (CAZs) with tightened restrictions in the future.
Birmingham has become the latest city to introduce a CAZ after launching on 1 June, with drivers of the most polluting vehicles given time to ‘adjust’ to the new rules via a two week period before charges take effect.
The daily charge for vehicles that fail to meet the required emission standards in Birmingham, which is a class D zone, is £8 for cars, vans and taxis.
The charge for coaches and HGVs is £50, which is a significant fee for fleet owners to contend with. However, any charges that are not paid within six days of entering the zone will then result in a fine of up to £120.
Birmingham is the latest CAZ to launch, while Bath switched on their zone in March 2020, becoming the first outside of London.
Manchester is set to be the latest to launch an emission charging zone, with their class C zone kicking off in May 2022. HGVs will be charged £60, but crucially there will be an exemption for Greater Manchester-registered vehicles until 31 May 2023.
The impact on fleets
Concerns over CAZs have been prevalent for some time. The introduction of the zone in London heralded the beginning of the rollout and fleets around the UK are bracing for the impact in the coming years.
In fact, it’s been highlighted as one of the top issues that car and van fleets will face before 2026.
The reality is that most modern fleets will be exempt from the charges, but fleet owners MUST be aware of the impact it could have on drivers, both today and in the future.
A recent poll indicated that 68% of respondents are operating vehicles within a CAZ, with 72% expecting to do so in the future.
However, 25% said that they were utilising compliant vehicles from elsewhere, with another 25% stating they were avoiding travelling within CAZs completely.
Is there any support available?
Birmingham launched a £10 million scrappage scheme to support those working within the CAZ currently earning less than £30,000, while a Heavy Duty Vehicle Fund is available for SMEs operating trucks, vans, and coaches in the West Midlands.
Transport for London (TfL) has allocated a £52 million fund through three scrappage schemes as it aims to help to either replace or retrofit around 10,000 vehicles.
Bath has secured £9.4 million in funding from Government to help businesses and local residents adapt, with an additional £1.6 million for local bus operators to retrofit vehicles. Another £10 million has been secured through finance providers.
Greater Manchester has secured significant funding, with £120 million from the Government to help upgrade to compliant vehicles.
Applications open in November, with van operators able to access up to £4,500 towards replacement, HGVs can access £12,000, and coaches being eligible for £32,000.
How has your fleet or your business been impacted by the Clean Air Zones? Are you prepared for future changes?
