A new emissions tax has been introduced in Bristol, which means drivers of older petrol and diesel vehicles will be charged £9 a day to use certain roads.
It comes as Bristol’s Clean Air Zone was launched in the city centre yesterday, November 28.
The change is expected to generate over £675,000 per day in charges paid by drivers.
But if drivers fail to pay the daily charge, they’ll be slapped with a Penalty Charge Notice worth £120, reduced to £60 if you pay within 14 days.
There will be some exemptions for certain drivers, including residents and Blue Badge holders - but these will expire in March 2023.
See the full list of current exemptions here.
Bristol is the latest UK city to introduce their emissions tax, joining Bath, Birmingham Bradford and Portsmouth i n a bid to reduce air pollution.
Those driving polluting older vehicles will be charged £9 to enter the central area of Bristol and part of the Portway.
The news comes just days after London Mayor Sadiq Khan announced plans to expand the ultra-low emission zone (ULEZ) across the whole of the capital.
It means all 33 London boroughs will see hundreds of thousands more drivers face a daily fee of £12.50 to use some of the city’s roads.
For those driving in Bristol, here’s how you can check if your vehicle is Clean Air Zone:
- Diesel cars meeting Euro6 emission standards will avoid the Bristol CAZ daily charge
Petrols meeting Euro4 and newer are compliant. This includes:
- Euro 1 - from 31 December 1992
- Euro 2 - from 1 January 1997
- Euro 3 - from 1 January 2001
- Euro 4 - from 1 January 2006 (common minimum standard for petrol cars)
- Euro 5 - from 1 January 2011
- Euro 6 - from 1 September 2015 (common minimum standard for diesel cars)
Bristol City Council has estimated that roughly 30% of drivers (around 75,000 drivers) entering the CAZ will be hit with a daily charge.
Larger vehicles like HGVs, buses and coaches will be hit with much bigger charges of £100.
Bristol City Council have said individuals and businesses are fully responsible for managing their payments, as they won’t receive written notifications of any kind to alert them that they’ve entered a CAZ zone.
The full penalty charge for a failure to pay is £120, but this will be halved to £60 if paid within 14 days, alongside the outstanding daily charge.
But in the first six weeks of the Clean Air Zone being launched, drivers will have an extra 7 days to pay their charges.
Mayor Marvin Rees said: 'What an incredible milestone we’ve achieved today, launching Bristol’s Clean Air Zone to help create a city that is healthier for everyone to grow up, live and work in.
'We have always sought to reduce air pollution in Bristol to improve the city’s health, but we’re also mindful of the financial strain people are under at the moment.
'We have taken our time to find a way to clean up our air, while also providing support to those who need it most. Temporary exemptions and financial support are still available, and I urge people to check if they’re eligible.'
More information on exemptions and financial support can be found on the Bristol City Council website.
