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Sheffield becomes latest UK city to launch clean air zone
Sheffield’s Clean Air Zone will encourage those with the oldest, most polluting vehicles who regularly drive into the zone to upgrade to a cleaner vehicle.
Sheffield City Council has introduced a Clean Air Zone which will begin charging non-compliant vehicles from midnight on 27 February 2023.
In 2017, the UK government legally directed Sheffield City Council to implement the Clean Air Zone to reduce the dangerous levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) in the north England city.
NO2 readings
Since then, between 2018 and 2022, NO2 readings have regularly been taken and shown Sheffield exceeds the legal NO2 limits in several places. To tackle this problem quickly and help improve the health of local people, a Clean Air Zone (Caz) is being introduced.
Older, polluting vehicles are a major source of air pollution. The Clean Air Zone will encourage those with the oldest, most polluting vehicles who regularly drive into the zone to upgrade to a cleaner vehicle. The impact of the zone will be broader than the city centre. Cleaner vehicles mean reduced emissions across the city, not just in the Clean Air Zone
The charges will apply to the following vehicle types that do not meet the minimum standards when entering the Clean Air Zone boundary:
- Taxis, including both hackney carriages and private hire vehicles, which are below Euro 6 Diesel or Euro 4 Petrol standards
- Light goods vehicles (LGVs) such as vans, campervans and pickup trucks and minibuses which are below Euro 6 Diesel or Euro 4 Petrol standards
- Buses and coaches which are below Euro 6 Diesel standards
- Heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) which are below Euro 6 Diesel standards.
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“As a city which prides itself on its outdoor and green spaces it is crucial we implement necessary measures to ensure it is a safe place for all. Everyone deserves clean air,” said councillor Mazher Iqbal, co-chair of the transport regeneration and climate policy committee, Sheffield City Council.
“As a city which prides itself on its outdoor and green spaces it is crucial we implement necessary measures to ensure it is a safe place for all”
“We are very aware of the challenges the introduction of the Clean Air Zone poses for businesses and vehicle owners and we empathise with those affected. We know it may impact some financially, that’s why we worked hard to secure the best financial package we could from government for those who need support once the changes are live.”
Only the most polluting vehicles which do not meet the minimum standards will have to pay a charge, if they enter the Clean Air Zone. It is a daily charge enter the zone. The charging day runs from 12am to 11:59pm
The funding from the zone can only be spent on the costs to run the zone and on further improvements to local transport that reduce air pollution in Sheffield.
Why not try these links to see what our SmartCitiesWorld AI can tell you.
(Please note this is an experimental service)
How will Sheffield's Clean Air Zone reduce nitrogen dioxide levels?What vehicle standards determine charges within Sheffield's Clean Air Zone?How does the Clean Air Zone support businesses financially during transition?In what ways will cleaner vehicles improve overall city air quality?How is funding from the Clean Air Zone allocated for transport improvements?
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