DRIVERS are being warned that new Clean Air Zones are coming and that they could be fine for driving in them.
The zones require that you have a new enough car – those with cars of a certain age will be sent fines in the post.
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Road safety experts at Road Angel are urging drivers to check for changes in their local areas and to get any necessary permits.
Drivers in London already face charges if they wish to enter the capital’s low and ultra low emission zones (ULEZ).
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Five other UK cities have already introduced clean air zones too, but three more are due to start in the coming weeks and months.
Currently, Bath, Birmingham, Bradford, Bristol and Portsmouth all have the zones.
Tyneside is set to introduce its own Clean Air Zone on 30th January and Sheffield will follow suit on 27th February.
Greater Manchester is the third local authority set to introduce a clean air zone in 2023, but the date is to be decided.
Cities are able to choose one of four possible clean air zones from Class A through to Class D.
Each class targets a different type of road vehicle and failure to comply can result in a fine of up to £120.
Currently, only Birmingham and Bristol have introduced Class D Clean Air Zones – these are the most far-reaching and require private car drivers to register and potentially pay charges depending on the level of their emissions.
Bath and Bradford have introduced Class C Clean Air Zones, these target vans, minibuses, coaches, taxis, HGVs, buses and private hire vehicles but not privately owned cars.
Portsmouth is currently the only city to have brought in Class B restrictions where charges apply to coaches, taxis, HGVs, buses and private hire vehicles but not cars, vans or minibuses.
It’s believed that Sheffield is planning on a Class C zone while Tyneside is planning to introduce Class B restrictions.
Details for Manchester’s upcoming zone have not yet been finalised.
A spokesperson for Road Angel said: “We welcome changes to improve air quality in our cities but we don’t want these changes to take any drivers by surprise.
“Therefore we are urging drivers who may be visiting any of these cities to check the government’s website to find out if they are required to obtain a permit for a clean air zone.
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“It’s also worth checking the vehicle’s logbook where information on the vehicle’s emission rate can be found to determine if charges can be applicable in clean air zones.
“If drivers don’t pay the fee applied to their area within six days of entering the clean air zone, they can face a standard penalty charge of £120.
“Going forward, we predict this will encourage drivers to turn to electric vehicles so they don’t have to face further charges for their vehicle’s emission rates.
“While Sheffield and Tyneside are currently the only areas planned to introduce charges in 2023, along with the possibility of Greater Manchester, it doesn’t stop the case for more cities across the UK to add their names to the list.”
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