Drivers are at risk of getting fined for not complying with clean air zones rules across the UK as councils follow in London’s Ulez footsteps to be greener.
Almost a third of motorists across the UK either don’t know, or are not sure what the CAZ rules mean which leaves them facing hefty fines.
The current CAZ rules in Birmingham for example puts a penalty charge of £120 if not paid on time with drivers having up to 28 days to pay the standard charge.
Non-compliant vehicles are slapped with an £8 fine daily for driving through CAZ routes, similar to London’s Ulez, which fines over polluting vehicles.
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Non-compliant vehicles are slapped with an £8 fine daily for driving through CAZ routes
PAThe survey by Carwow revealed that 50 per cent of UK motorists don’t know which parts of the UK already have a CAZ in operation including the likes of Birmingham, Bristol and Oxford.
The research found that one in five drivers (19 per cent) are not sure if their car is CAZ-compliant for where they regularly drive or not.
To be CAZ compliant vehicles must meet certain emission requirements, buses, coaches, heavy goods vehicles must be Euro VI standard while vans, minibuses, taxis, private hire vehicles, cars have to be Euro 6 (diesel) and Euro 4 (petrol) standard.
Despite the survey flagging uncertainty amongst UK motorists, there are mixed feelings about the benefits they have with nearly half (44 per cent) of drivers in favour of them while a third (31 per cent) wanting them abolished.
John Rawlings, consumer editor at Carwow said: “Clearly much more needs to be done to educate and inform drivers about CAZs - it is very worrying to see how many motorists across the UK don't understand the compliance rules or even know where zones are operating!
“Our research indicates there is clearly still much confusion among UK motorists when it comes to both current CAZ enforcement areas and those just about to change their status.
“In Scotland, for example, three cities (Aberdeen, Dundee and Edinburgh) will soon in - introduce fines for non-compliant vehicles and I would encourage any driver unsure about whether their car is compliant (and potentially likely to incur charges in these areas) to check immediately.
“To shine a light on the issue, in Bristol for example, cars that don’t meet the requirements can be charged a £9 CAZ fee per day, which - if not paid by the driver within six days - can incur a far more hefty £120 Penalty Charge Notice.”
As Glasgow reaches its one year anniversary for its CAZ scheme in June, and reach London’s one year milestone at the end of August, people’s knowledge of the rules and whether their cars are compliant is evidently lacking, Rawlings warned.
Clean air zones are in operation 24 hours a day, seven days a week, every day of the year. Drivers must pay the charge by before midnight on the sixth day after driving into the zone.
While no vehicle is banned in the zone, vehicles that do not meet the emission standards for the zone are subject to a daily fee.
If they fail to pay on time, the maximum payment that can be made in a single transaction is £5,000.
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Clean air zones are in operation 24 hours a day, seven days a week, every day of the year
PABirmingham City Council, which went bankrupt in 2023, introduced the Clean Air Zone in 2021, with the scheme in place to limit the amount of pollution within the city and fine drivers as a deterrent measure.