Birmingham’s emission-limiting measure known as the Clean Air Zone charge (CAZ), or congestion charge, went live on 1 June 2021.
A Clean Air Zone, much like London’s ULEZ or London Congestion Charge scheme, is an area where targeted action is taken to improve air quality, in particular by discouraging the most polluting vehicles from entering the zone. No vehicle is banned in the zone, but a non compliant vehicle that does not meet the emission standards for the zone is subject to a daily fee.
It is designed to reduce air pollution by lessening traffic and emissions in a city centre. The zone targets high polluting vehicles and, outside of London, is one of the UK’s most extensive emission zones, covering all vehicle types.
Other UK cities that have introduced Clean Air Zones (or are planning to) include Bath, Bristol, Portsmouth, Newcastle and Greater Manchester.
The zone, in operation 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, extends to cover all roads within the A4540 Middleway Ring Road, though not the road itself. The zone is sign posted to show drivers that they are about to enter the zone.
In July 2022, the Local Government Chronicle (LGC) revealed that the clean air zone had made Birmingham City Council £33 million and led to a 53% drop in the number of polluting vehicles entering the city. (The legislation permitting the creating of the scheme stipulates that any net surplus revenues generated have to be used in local transport related strategies and policies).
Moreover, when the scheme launched in June 2021 the rate of non-compliant vehicles entering the Birmingham clean air zone was 18.7%, and by December 2021 it had decreased to 10.3%. By May, it had dropped again to 8.8%.
The council’s deputy leader Brigid Jones (Lab) told LGC the figures are evidence “the message is getting across in Birmingham that if you must use a [non compliant] car, then don’t bring it into the city centre”.
“Vehicle compliance is much more than we were expecting. Far fewer cars are being charged than we were expecting. In terms of pollution levels, it is delivering”, she added.
The charge
The daily fee can be paid online or by phone. You are mandated to pay the daily fee six days before your day of travel, the day of travel or six days after your day of travel.
The charge itself is £8 for cars and vans, or a higher rate of £50 for buses, coaches, and HGVs. Failing to pay means a penalty charge notice will be issued of £120, halved if you pay within 14 days.
What cars are exempt from Birmingham congestion charge?
In order to be exempt from the Birmingham congestion charge, cars need to be compliant with certain emission targets. Exempt vehicles include:
Petrol cars which meet Euro 4 standards.
Diesel cars which meet Euro 6 standards.
Petrol and diesel hybrid vehicles meeting Euro 4 or Euro 6 standards respectively.
Fully electric vehicles.
There are further exemptions made for the following:
Locals who live within the Birmingham CAZ will be exempt for two years
If you are visiting hospital, GPs, or care homes, you will be exempt for one year
Commercial vehicles are exempt for one year
(The above exemption periods came into effect when the CAZ first started operating. So, a two year exemption, even if applied for in May 2023, will have ended as of June 2023).
