Sheffield clean air zone: Where is it and how much will you pay?

• Report by Martin Fisher.

A new clean air zone (CAZ) has come into operation in Sheffield, meaning drivers will be charged to use certain roads if they have the most polluting vehicles.

The city council says it has been forced to take measures to improve air quality and reduce the burden on health services caused by pollution.

But some are worried about the impact on business.

Here's all you need to know about the initiative:

Where is the clean air zone?

The CAZ covers the A61 inner ring road and city centre.

Signs are in place indicating where the it will operate. The city council says drivers should look out for the green cloud 'class C' symbol.

If you’re entering the zone you can pay up to six days in advance, on the day, or up to six days after your journey. 

Why is the CAZ being introduced?

Air pollution is said to contribute to 500 deaths a year in Sheffield.

It can cause strokes, lung cancer and cardiovascular disease. Experts say living next to a busy road carries the same risk as passively smoking 10 cigarettes a day. Children are particularly vulnerable.

There are legal limits to the amount of nitrous oxide in the air (40 micrograms per cubic metre). The council says a CAZ is needed in Sheffield to reach compliance quickly. 

It says the charge will encourage those with the oldest, most polluting vehicles who regularly drive into the zone to upgrade to a cleaner vehicle and the change will reduce emissions across the city.

Is the CAZ about making money?

The council says not. It says funds will pay for the upkeep of the zone and reducing air pollution in the city.

Citing the £20billion annual cost of air pollution to the UK economy and the 40,000 deaths associated with poor air quality, it says reducing the damage from air pollution saves money by saving lives.

The council says it considered different ways to improve air quality, including non-charging options, but a charging zone will bring air pollution down in the shortest possible time. 

Who will have to pay and how much?

Automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras will detect vehicles which do not comply with emissions standards.

A £10 charge will be introduced for the following vehicles:

• 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

A £50 charge will be introduced for the following vehicles:

• Buses and coaches which are below Euro 6 Diesel standards

• Heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) which are below Euro 6 Diesel standards

Payments will have to be made online within seven days. Additional charges may apply if the deadline is missed.

What about people driving around the zone to avoid charges?

The council believes some vehicles will drive around the city centre and inner ring road to avoid charges.

A spokesperson said: "We do not expect this to have a significant effect on air quality in Sheffield.

"Private cars (not licensed as a taxi) will not need to pay a CAZ charge and will not need to consider re-routing. For vehicles such as buses, vans lorries and coaches it will not be practical to re-route and they will continue to use the ring road and enter the city centre."

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