Sheffield Clean Air Zone 2023: Launch date, what it costs & how to check if your vehicle is affected

Sheffield will soon launch a clean air zone for certain vehicles entering the city as part of the government’s plan to improve air quality in urban areas. Although not everyone will be affected by the new policy, drivers are being urged to check the restrictions or risk being fined.

In Sheffield, the new class C chargeable zone rule will go into effect from Monday, February 27. This means, the most polluting heavy goods vehicles (HGVs), light goods vehicles (LGVs), vans, buses, coaches and taxis that drive within the inner ring road and the city centre will be charged a fee.

The ideas were first presented in 2018, however the council postponed implementation due to Covid-19, claiming the situation in 2020 would be "dramatically different" than when the original proposals were established. Air pollution causes 500 early deaths in Sheffield each year, and some areas of the city have surpassed nitrogen dioxide legal limits since 2010.

So how is Sheffield’s Clean Air Zone going to affect drivers and how much does it charge for people to drive in parts of the city? Here’s everything you need to know about the new policy.

Where does Sheffield Clean Air Zone cover?

In Sheffield, the Clean Air Zone covers the inner ring road and city centre. From late August 2022, signs will start to appear indicating the Clean Air Zone will operate. This includes Park Square and the A61/Parkway junction. The map of the affected area can be found on Sheffield City Council’s website.

Will private cars and motorbikes be charged?

No, private cars and motorbikes will not be charged for driving in the Clean Air Zone as it only affects heavy goods vehicles (HGVs), light goods vehicles (LGVs), vans, buses, coaches and taxis.

How much does it cost to drive into the city centre?

If the vehicle does not meet the minimum standard, drivers will have to pay the charge for every day they enter the zone. This would be £10 per day for polluting vans/LGVs and taxis. Meanwhile, £50 per day is chargeable for coaches, buses and lorries/HGVs

Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras will detect non-compliant vehicles entering the zone. This system is defined by the Governments CAZ Framework used for all clean air zones across the country.

Payments will need to be made online once the clean air zone goes into effect. If payments are not made within seven days, additional penalty charges may apply. The funding from the zone can only be spent on the costs to run the zone, and projects to reduce air pollution in Sheffield.

How to check if you need to pay to drive in a clean air zone

Drivers can check if their vehicle meets Sheffield’s Clean Air Zone standards via the government vehicle checker website.