New Clean Air Zone Set To Open – Fleet Support Scheme Also Announced
A new Clean Air Zone (CAZ) is set to open in Sheffield in February.
The date for the introduction is set to be Monday 27th February as the local council also announces a £28 million support scheme for fleets to upgrade to CAZ-compliant vehicles.
Charges will apply to non-compliant taxis, HGVs, LGVs, buses and coaches, with the zone being designated ‘Class C’.
That means that in order to be compliant, petrol vehicles need to be Euro 4 and diesel vehicles must be Euro 6 to avoid the charges. The fees are set at £10 for taxis and vans and £50 for coaches, buses, LGVs and HGVs.
It’s just one of many new CAZs being introduced in the UK as fleets face pressure to upgrade to compliant vehicles.
Clean Air Zones – What’s Coming Next?
London’s expanded ULEZ is replacing the current LEZ zone, with the charges for the ULEZ being expanded to cover the area currently covered by the low-emission zone.
London, Sheffield, Birmingham, Bristol and many other cities are facing significant pressure to reduce emissions. Not only that but environmental targets set by the government must be met by local authorities and reducing traffic density AND emissions is a surefire way to do just that.
Bristol’s new Clean Air Zone has also recently launched, with cameras being switched on to detect non-compliant vehicles which will be required to pay the toll.
The main issue for Bristol’s local authority is the pressure to meet air quality targets by reducing emissions, particularly given the issue in city centres with the sheer density of traffic causing higher emissions.
The changes may well affect many fleets, particularly if London or Sheffield (or many of the other cities across the UK installing and introducing Clean Air Zones) is an area they regularly operate in.
One potential solution that many fleets are looking at is turning to electric vehicles, given that their emissions standards will mean they’re usually compliant within Clean Air Zones.
Knowing your key routes and the rules in them is more important than ever, which is a big reason why many fleets are making the switch to electric vehicles (EVs).
What Do CAZs Mean For Fleets?
Since London first opened their initial CAZ, it’s been on the agenda of every major city in the UK.
The improvements made through the initial zones and subsequent expansions and upgrades have encouraged more use of public transport and made more and more fleets and private vehicle drivers make the switch to EVs and low-emission vehicles.
Scrappage and support schemes, like the one announced in Sheffield, have also had a positive impact.
Clean Air Zones are one of the biggest changes fleets are seeing on the roads…
So, how have CAZs affected your fleet? And have you made the switch to electric vehicles yet? Let us know in the comments below!
