A guide to Ultra Low Emission Zones

What is a Low Emissions Zone?

Just like clean air zones, a low emissions zone is designed to reduce harmful emissions by discouraging higher polluting vehicles from entering the area.

Ultra Low Emission Zones

The largest scheme in operation is the London Ultra Low Emissions Zone (ULEZ) and currently covers all areas within the North and South Circular Roads. It helps clear up London's air and operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, every day of the year, except Christmas Day.

If your vehicle doesn't meet the ULEZ emissions standards and isn't exempt, you'll need to pay a £12.50 daily charge to drive within the zone. This applies to:

• Cars, motorcycles, vans and specialist vehicles (up to and including 3.5 tonnes) and minibuses (up to and including 5 tonnes)

Owners of non-UK registered vehicles also need to meet the ULEZ emissions standards or pay the daily charge to drive within the zone. Vehicles need to be registered with EPC plc (HYPERLINK HERE), even if they meet the emissions standards.

To see if you need to pay or find out about discounts and exemptions you can check your vehicle on the Transport for London (TfL) website.

Which vehicles are exempt from charges?

• Electric vehicles
• Plug-in and Mild Hybrid vehicles that meet Euro 4 or 6 depending on their fuel type
• Petrol vehicles under 16 years old
  
• Diesel vehicles under 6 years old

It’s easy to check if you will be charged by entering the vehicle registration on the government website. As a business or organisation, you can check multiple vehicles. Check here.

Low Emission Zones

Currently, there are also Low Emission Zones (LEZ) in Oxford, Norwich and Brighton although currently, these only apply to buses. The Scottish Government has also introduced LEZs in Glasgow, Aberdeen, Dundee and Edinburgh.

You can use the online vehicle-registration-checker to find out of your vehicle meets the exemption criteria.

For additional help or advice and to find out how we can help you find the right fleet mix, the Škoda Fleet team is here to help.

Clean air zones (CAZs) are designed to improve air quality in towns and cities and lower levels of pollution by limiting the number of higher polluting vehicles. If your vehicles exceed emission standards, you may be charged to enter these areas.

There are currently four classes of clean air zones:

1. Class A - Buses, coaches, taxis and private hire vehicles (PHVs)
2. Class B - Buses, coaches, taxis, PHVs and heavy goods vehicles (HGVs)
3. Class C - Buses, coaches, taxis, PHVs, HGVs and light goods vehicles (LGVs)
4. Class D - Buses, coaches, taxis, PHVs, HGVs LGVs and cars

There are some national and local exemptions from the charge. You’re automatically entitled to a national exemption, and do not have to pay a charge, if you have:

• a vehicle that’s ultra low emission
• a disabled passenger tax class vehicle
• a disabled tax class vehicle
• a military vehicle
• a historic vehicle
• a vehicle retrofitted with technology accredited by the Clean Vehicle Retrofit Accreditation Scheme (CVRAS)
• certain types of agricultural vehicles

Currently, most Class D CAZs allow vehicles that meet the latest Euro 6 standard for diesel and Euro 4 standard for petrol emissions criteria. It’s easy to check if you will be charged to enter a clean air zone by entering the vehicle registration on the government website. As a business or organisation, you can check multiple vehicles.

Cities with clean air zones currently include:

1. Bath (Class C). Charges do not currently apply to passenger cars.
2. Birmingham (Class D) You can check to see if you will need to pay here.
3. Bradford (Class C). Charges do not currently apply to passenger cars.
4. Portsmouth (Class B). Charges do not currently apply to passenger cars.
5. In early 2023, Sheffield and Tyneside (Newcastle and Gateshead) will also start charging.

How do I pay?

You can use the government website to check or pay a charge or set up a business account if you own or manage two or more registered vehicles.