One week to go until Sheffield city centre's clean air zone comes into force
We've been speaking to local businesses in the area about how it'll affect them
This time next week-Sheffield's Clean Air Zone will come into force for the first time.
It means some motorists will have to pay either £10 or £50 to enter parts of the city centre-if their vehicle isn't compliant to certain emission standards.
Ian Bingham runs a business there-He says he'll have to pay an £60 a week because of the new rules:
"I know they've got to draw a line somewhere with how they're going to charge people, but I do feel hard done to.
"It's not as though we're driving in and out of it all day long.
"We literally just go over the border into it, and then the vehicle is parked up all day.
"What I've got to do is swap my vehicle and get something that is compliant.
"I'm not prepared to pay £10 a day, six days a week, just to come to work, so we've got to change this vehicle."
Sheffield City Councillor Mazher Iqbal, who's Co-Chair of the Transport, Regeneration and Climate Policy Committee, said: “We know there are a number of businesses who are concerned about the Clean Air Zone (CAZ) and the challenges they may face as a result. Sheffield businesses are extremely important to us, and we know the CAZ may have a financial impact on some.
“The Council was legally directed by Government to implement a CAZ and has advocated for those affected for several years – pushing hard on Government to secure the best financial support package we could for those who need support. We empathise with those affected and acknowledge their concerns.
“The package we secured from Government includes financial support to upgrade or replace vehicles to meet the Class C charging zone restrictions and the opportunity to apply for an exemption, if eligible.
“The CAZ will only charge the most polluting heavy goods vehicles, light goods vehicles, vans, buses, coaches and taxis. Private cars, motorbikes and lower-polluting vehicles will not be charged. It is crucial that those who think they may be affected check whether their vehicle is compliant on the online vehicle checker. If it is, we urge them to get in contact and see if financial support is available to them to upgrade or replace their vehicle.”
-The Clean Air Zone is funded by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs and forms part of their national Clean Air Strategy to tackle air pollution, including roadside nitrogen dioxide concentrations in the UK.
-Early indications for 2022 have shown we remain non-compliant. Forecasts for NO2 in 2023 show that Sheffield would continue to exceed the legal limits of No2 without introducing the CAZ.
-The Council has imposed a Clean Air Zone to achieve its aim of bringing Nitrogen Dioxide levels below legal limits in 2023.
-Implementing the zone within the city centre will tackle those problem areas. It will also impact the wider city - encouraging drivers, who drive not just in the city centre but across Sheffield, to retrofit or replace their polluting vehicles and improve air quality city wide.
-Across Sheffield, 1 in 20 deaths each year will be attributable to exposure to polluted air.
-More info about the Clean Air Zone can be found on our website: www.sheffield.gov.uk/cleanair
-Check if vehicles are compliant on the online vehicle checker: https://www.gov.uk/clean-air-zones