December 2, 2021
Abby Nuttall
Electric and Hybrid News
As of this Monday, the Class B Clean Air Zone (CAZ) in Portsmouth is in operation for all drivers in the zone.
A Class B CAZ applies to:
- Buses
- Coaches
- Taxis
- Private hire vehicles
- Heavy goods vehicles
In Portsmouth this will mean that any of the above vehicles not compliant with Euro 6 emission standards for diesel models and Euro 4 emission standards for petrol models will now have to pay a charge to drive in the zone.
Some vehicles will be exempt due to national exemptions which you can check your vehicle on the government’s CAZ checker and some may be able to apply for a local exemption.
Portsmouth authorities are also offering time-limited periods, also known as sunset period, to allow drivers and operators time to replace or retrofit their vehicles as needed. You can apply for this here.
Additionally, there are some vehicles sub-categories within the ones mentioned above such as non-commercial vintage buses and horse transporters are exempt for up to 10 days a year. You will still need to apply for an exemption and then notify Portsmouth authorities of your dates of travel.
You can find a full breakdown of compliant requirements and exemptions on the Clean Air Portsmouth website.
Greater Manchester CAZ
Greater Manchester and Bradford have now been added to the government’s online checker in preparation for their zones being launched in early 2022.
They have also launched Greater Manchester’s CAZ Financial Support Scheme which will provide funding for support registered HGV drivers in small businesses, sole traders and voluntary sector.
The second round of funding for coaches, minibuses and vans will launch at the end of January. It’s hoped by launching the first round now and the second round next month drivers will have plenty of time to use the funds before the implementation of the CAZ in May.
To see if you can apply for funding then just answer this simple questionnaire.