UK Low Emission Zones
A low emission zone (LEZ) or clean air zone (CAZ) is an areas usually within a city but can encompass a wide area that drivers of higher polluting vehicles must pay to drive through or in some cases are prohibited from driving through. There is also zero emission zone (ZEZ) where all petrol, diesel and hybrid vehicles are charged.
Vehicle emissions are a significant cause of air pollution and councils are using these zones to encourage people to switch to low or Zero emission vehicles or take alternative forms of transport. Check out Wilcox’s LEZ/CAZ compliant New & Used Vehicles & Wilcox’s ZEZ compliant New & Used vehicles.
Please be aware the following is for information purposes only please check each individual zone to check if you will be subject to a charge.
Where are low emission zones in the UK?
Aberdeen:
The following cars are prohibited from entering the zone:
A pre-Euro VI diesel car (generally those registered before 2015)
A pre-Euro IV petrol car (generally those registered before 2006)
However, a two-year ‘grace period’ will be introduced. This means drivers will NOT be fined for entering the zone with a non-compliant car before May 2024.
Find out more about Aberdeen’s low emission zones.
Bath:
Bath launched its Clean Air Zone in March 2021. It doesn’t yet affect private cars and motorbikes, business-use vehicles like taxis and HGVs will have to pay a fee if they don’t meet certain emissions standards.
Find out more about Bath low emission zones.
Birmingham:
Birmingham’s Clean Air Zone covers all roads within the A4540 Middleway Ring Road — though not the Middleway itself. All private vehicles as well and non-compliant cars will be subject to a daily charge 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Find out more about Birmingham’s Clean Air Zone.
Bristol:
Bristol’s zone starts 28th November 2022, charges will not apply to:
Euro 4, 5 and 6 petrol vehicles, roughly 2006 upwards, Euro 6 diesel vehicles, roughly end of 2015 onwards, fully electric vehicles and hydrogen fuel cell vehicles, modified or retrofitted vehicles registered with the Energy Saving Trust’s Clean Vehicle Retrofit Accreditation Scheme (CVRAS) motorbikes.
Dundee:
The following cars will be prohibited from entering the zone:
A pre-Euro VI diesel car (generally those registered before 2015)
A pre-Euro IV petrol car (generally those registered before 2006)
However, a two-year ‘grace period’ will be introduced. This means drivers will not be fined for entering the zone with a non-compliant car before May 2024.
Find out more about Dundee’s low emission zones.
Edinburgh:
The following cars will be prohibited from entering the zone:
A pre-Euro VI diesel car (generally those registered before 2015)
A pre-Euro IV petrol car (generally those registered before 2006)
However, a two-year ‘grace period’ will be introduced. This means drivers will not be fined for entering the zone with a non-compliant car before May 2024.
Find out more about Edinburgh’s low emission zones.
Glasgow:
Glasgow city centre was the first area in Scotland to have a low emission zone introduced and came into effect on December 31 2018. Two phases form part of the plans, with the first having covered local buses. The second will see all vehicles needing to meet certain emissions standards to be able to enter the zone and will be introduced in 2023.
Find out more about Glasgow low emission zones.
London:
London has two zones. The first is the Low Emission Zone, which covers most of the capital. The Ultra-Low Emissions Zone has stricter regulations and covers an area up to the North and South Circular roads within the capital.
Vehicles that do not meet the ULEZ requirements are required to pay a charge. This is £12.50 for cars, motorcycles and vans, and £100 for heavier vehicles, including lorries over 3.5 tonnes, plus buses and coaches over 5 tonnes.
Check your vehicle for LEZ Compliance in London.
Manchester:
Government agreed that the Greater Manchester charging Clean Air Zone would not go ahead on 30 May 2022. Manchester local authorities have resubmitted plans and nothing has been agreed yet.
Find out more about Manchester’s clean air zones.
Oxford:
All petrol and diesel vehicles, including hybrids, will incur a daily charge if they are driven in the zone between 7am and 7pm unless they have a 100 per cent discount or exemption.
It is being introduced in two phases. The first phase is a small pilot area that will become operational on 28 February 2022 in Oxford City Centre. This will allow the councils to test how the scheme will work before expanding to a wider area in the second phase. The wider area zone will be subject to further assessments, consultation and funding.
Find out more about Oxford’s Zero emission zones.
Portsmouth:
The charging Clean Air Zone launched 29 November 2021. A daily charge will be issued to the most polluting vehicles for driving in the zone.
Find out more about Portsmouth clean air zones.
Sheffield:
Sheffield’s Clean Air Zone starts in 2023 it won’t affect cars yet though older taxis, vans and large vehicles will be subject to a charge for entering the zone. LGVs and taxis will have to pay £10 a day, with coaches, buses and HGVs subject to a £50 fee.
Find out more about Sheffield’s clean air zones.
Tyneside – Newcastle and Gateshead:
To be launched in January 2023 with higher polluting Taxis, Buses and HGVs initially being charged then Vans in July 2023. Cars are not affected.
Find out more about Tyneside – Newcastle and Gateshead’s clean air zones.
