Financial support to upgrade older vehicles – Sheffield Clean Air Zone
Businesses and self-employed business owners across South Yorkshire who deliver or travel into Sheffield City Centre can apply to upgrade their vehicle and receive financial support. This follows the launch of the Sheffield Clean Air Zone in February.
The Sheffield Clean Air Zone covers the inner ring road and city centre and is monitored by cameras, with some vehicles charged for entering the zone. Motorists are being made aware that they are entering the Clean Air Zone by road signs which have been installed.
The following vehicle types that do not meet the minimum standards when entering the Class C Clean Air Zone boundary are being charged:
- Taxis, including both hackney carriages and private hire vehicles, which are below Euro 6 Diesel or Euro 4 Petrol standards
- Light goods vehicles (LGVS) such as vans, campervans and pickup trucks and minibuses which are below Euro 6 Diesel or Euro 4 Petrol standards
- Buses and coaches which are below Euro 6 Diesel standards
- Heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) which are below Euro 6 Diesel standards
Private vehicles used for commuting into the city centre, such as private cars and motorcycles, are not be charged. Residents can check if their vehicle is affected on the GOV.UK website.
If you own a vehicle that would be charged, you could be eligible for financial support in the form of a grant, an interest subsidised loan or a mix of the two. Full details of the financial support packages available can be found on the Sheffield City Council Clean Air Zone website.
Rotherham Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport and Environment, Cllr Dominic Beck, said: “Older vehicles on our roads are a major source of pollution in our towns and cities. Air pollution contributes to 500 deaths a year in Sheffield alone, and can cause serious damage to children’s lungs, leading onto serious health problems such as lung cancer and cardiovascular disease. Introducing Clean Air Zones in busy areas, such as the centre of Sheffield, can help to cut the amount of pollution.
“Businesses affected by the Clean Air Zone are strongly encouraged to see what support is available for them, whether they can get support to upgrade their vehicles or advice on using the Clean Air Zone from Sheffield City Council.”
Vehicles not meeting the minimum standard are charged for every day they enter the zone:
- £10 per day for polluting vans/LGVs and Taxis
- £50 per day for coaches, buses and lorries/HGVs
Payments need to be made online and any payments not paid within seven days will be subject to a fine.
Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras detect non-compliant vehicles entering the zone. This system is defined by the Governments CAZ Framework used for all clean air zones across the country.
Further information about the Sheffield Clean Air Zone can be found on the Sheffield City Council’s website.
Find out more about schemes in place in Rotherham: Clean Air Rotherham