Bristol’s Clean Air Zone (CAZ)

Clean Air Schemes are becoming a regular sight in British cities and there are plenty more on the horizon or being considered by local councils. Bristol become the latest city to join the list on 28th November 2022, as its new Clean Air Zone (CAZ) came into effect. Scrap Car Comparison has everything you need to know about where Bristol’s CAZ is, who it affects and how much it will cost.

Where is the CAZ in place?

Like with all Clean Air Schemes around the country, Bristol’s has been designed to improve the air quality within the city and to bring it in line with DEFRA and the Department for Transport’s required readings, whether that’s by getting drivers to change their mode of transport or simply avoiding the journey altogether. As a result, two major roads into the city have been added to the zone along with the main city centre.

Bridge Valley Road, in its entirety from the junction with Clifton Down to the A4, is included, while the A4’s inclusion runs all the way up to the city centre, where the zone begins to expand at Hinton Lane. The zone extends as far south as the Asthon Gate Underpass, although the majority of the southern end follows Coronation Road and York Road up to the junction with the A4. The northern boundary loosely follows Hotwell Road, Queens Parade, Perry Road, Upper Maudlin Street, Marlborough and Newfoundland Circus.

A complete interactive map has been put together by Bristol City Council, allowing potential drivers to see all roads and areas within the CAZ.

Bristol has also been awarded £500,000 of Zero Emission Transport City funding, alongside Norwich and Oxford. Oxford’s Zero Emission Zone has already been implemented, the details of which can be found here.

What vehicles are covered in the CAZ?

Bristol’s CAZ is one of only two Class D CAZs in the country, meaning that private vehicles are required to pay the daily charge, unlike many other cities where charges are limited to private hire or goods vehicles.

As a result, it is easy to define the rules when it comes to compliance, which are as follows:

• Petrol vehicles – Euro 4 onwards (roughly vehicles from 2006 onwards)
• Diesel vehicles – Euro 6 only (roughly end of 2015 onwards)

GOV.UK offers a service where you can check if charges apply to your vehicle, although this service is only available for vehicles registered in the UK. Charges will still apply to vehicles registered outside of the UK.

To see what differentiates a Class D CAZ from a Class C, we’ve put together a handy guide for you, so you can see exactly what qualifies for each type of scheme.

How much will I pay?

Charges are determined by the type of vehicle that you are driving at the time, and should you be driving any non-compliant vehicle, the charges are as follows:

• Private Cars – £9
• Taxis – £9
• LGVs – £9
• HGVs – £100
• Coaches – £100
• Buses – £100
• Motorcycles – No Charge

The system is in place 24 hours a day, seven days a week, so it does not matter when you drive into the zone, you will be charged all the same. There is only one charge per 24 hour period, so you can come in and out of the zone as many times as you like during the day, and it will remain as the standard fare.

Can I get a grant to get a compliant vehicle?

Bristol City Council has pledged £42m worth of grants for individuals and businesses that will be affected by the new Clean Air Zone’s regulations. Those that can apply are individuals that work within the CAZ and earn less than £27,000 a year or small or medium sized enterprises (SME) working or based within the CAZ with an annual turnover of less than £36m, a balance sheet total of less than £18m and with fewer than 250 employees. Taxi and private hire drivers licensed with Bristol City Council can also apply. 

The amount you will be eligible for will depend on the type of vehicle that you are looking to claim for, which are as follows:

Type of Vehicle	Total Financial Support Available
Car	£2,000
Taxi Private Hire Vehicle	£1,500
Hackney Carriage	£4,000
Van or LGV	£6,000
HGV or Coach	£16,000

Applications remain open to Bristol City Council and can be made on the council’s website, and priority will be given to individuals, sole traders, charities and small businesses located in the Bristol City Council area and neighbouring areas, or with premises in the Clean Air Zone. The money from the grant is to be used to put towards a new, compliant vehicle, which must be approved by the Council’s finance partners.

Scrap your car – no ifs, buts or maybes, with Scrap Car Comparison 

If you’re having to pay the daily fee while driving through the Bristol CAZ and do not meet the criteria to qualify for a grant or any exemptions, then allow Scrap Car Comparison to come to the rescue. We don’t care who you are, where you live or what you drive – we’ll happily take any car, no matter its condition, and provide you with the very best price possible. On top of that, the money is paid directly into your account on the day of collection, meaning you can do whatever you want with it, rather than being bound by the rules of a grant agreement.

By using our unrivalled address book of industry expert and specialist buyers, we can find the most possible for your car in just a matter of moments, and with our buyers based in all four corners of the country, can even arrange a collection of your vehicle, at no extra cost to you whatsoever. 

Get started today and find out just how much your old car could be worth, and before you know it you won’t have to worry about Bristol’s new daily charge any longer.