LOW Emission Zones will become a common sight across the country this year as more are introduced – here’s where they are coming next.
Drivers could be faced with a fine of up to £500 if they don’t take the necessary steps to ensure their vehicle complies with the emission standards or fail to pay the daily fee.
Bradford’s low emission zone (LEZ) will start charging from September 26, 2022.
While zones in Bristol, Newcastle and Gateshead will come into operation later this year.
Drivers are urged to keep a note when the local zones start charging and which class the zone is, which range from A to D, as this will determine if you have to pay the fee.
Tom Hixon, head of instructor support at Bill Plant Driving School said: “Low-emission zones are an important step to reducing emissions and reducing pollution levels across the country.
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“You should keep updated about which type of LEZ you might encounter on your journey, some fees only apply to vehicles such as coaches, taxis and HGV’s, whereas zones which are type D can apply to cars and motorbikes.”
Drivers may need to register their vehicles, confirming it meets the required standard.
London’s LEZ covers most of Greater London and differs from the capital’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) which includes most of Inner London inside the North and South Circular roads.
London’s LEZ is in operation 24 hours a day, every day of the year.
Older vehicles, including motorbikes, that don’t meet the tighter emissions standards have to pay £12.50 every day they are used within the ULEZ.
The charge runs from midnight to midnight which means you will be charged for two days if your journey started before midnight and travels into the next day.
As a rule of thumb, the vehicles affected include pre-2015 diesels and pre-2006 petrol cars – but you can easily check if yours falls foul on the ULEZ website.
But those are just a rough guide and the charges will be enforced based on emissions rather than the car’s age.
To drive in the ULEZ, petrol cars must meet the Euro 4 standard on emissions, and diesels, as well as larger vehicles, must meet Euro 6.
The best way to be sure you comply with the low emissions standard is to check online.
You can do this by inputting your vehicle’s number plate into the Transport for London (TfL) website.
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Those with vehicles registered with a disabled or disabled passenger tax class will benefit from a grace period after the ULEZ starts.
They’ll be exempt from the ULEZ charge until October 26, 2025, as long as their vehicle doesn’t change tax class.
