Non-Euro 6 PCVs will be charged; some locally-registered, financed coaches will get 12-month waiver
Coaches and buses that do not satisfy Euro 6 emission levels will be charged £50 per day to enter Birmingham’s Clean Air Zone (CAZ), which will be introduced in January 2020.
The CAZ will encompass Birmingham city centre within the A4540 Middleway Ring Road and it will be enforced using number plate recognition.
Birmingham City Council (BCC) has been awarded £38m from the Clean Air Fund to pay for a support package that will help parties affected by the CAZ. Of that, £10.1m will go towards a “coach and HGV compliance fund,” although the exact details of how much will be made available per vehicle and how it will be allocated are awaited.
Unlike some other CAZs, non-compliant cars will be charged (£8 per day) to enter the Birmingham zone. However, those cars used for driving to work will receive a one-year exemption from the charge.
Several other exemptions will be introduced, including coaches that are based within the CAZ. That will extend to a maximum of two per company and for one year only.
Most notably, non-compliant coaches registered “within the Birmingham area” travelling into the CAZ with an existing finance agreement beyond 2020 will also be granted a one-year exemption, again up to a maximum of two per operator.
Minibuses operated under Section 19 permits will also receive a one-year grace period, according to the Business Breathes website.
Says Councillor Waseem Zaffar, BCC Cabinet Member for Transport and Environment: “The CAZ will represent a significant change in terms of the way that people travel around the city. It is important that those who rely on the use of vehicles for their business can make the necessary preparations and access the relevant support ahead of its implementation. The Business Breathes website provides a valuable one-stop shop.”
