Birmingham City Council has launched its Clean Air Zone (CAZ) today (June 1), which requires drivers of older cars, vans and trucks to pay a daily fee to enter the city’s centre.

Restrictions apply to all roads within Birmingham’s A4540 Middleway Ring Road, except the ring road itself. The CAZ is operational 24 hours a day, seven days a week, including bank holidays. The Class D CAZ applies to all vehicles that do not meet the minimum emissions standards of Euro 6 for diesel and Euro 4 for petrol.

The council confirmed that it will introduce the zone through a ‘soft launch’. The council will not require drivers to pay the daily fee and they will not pursue enforcement until June 14, 2021. It is estimated that 40% of vehicles entering the zone each day will not be compliant. Cars, vans and taxis will face an £8 charge, while HGVs, buses and coaches will have to pay £50 per day.

Cabinet Member for Transport and Environment at Birmingham City Council, Councillor Waseem Zaffar MBE has said: “After more than two years of planning, I’m delighted to launch Birmingham’s Clean Air Zone. This is a bold move that will help to address some significant health inequalities in our city. This is also an important step in encouraging people to re-think how we all move around the city.”

Ahead of the launch, Birmingham City Council introduced a vehicle scrappage and travel credit scheme. In return for scrapping a vehicle, successful applicants will receive a £2,000 grant which can be used on a ‘travel credit’ or to purchase a vehicle that meets the emission standards of the new CAZ.

Pic-Birmigham City Council