A Guide to the Bristol Clean Air Zone

Air pollution is the cause of up to 36,000 deaths in the UK every year – making it one of the largest environmental health risks we all have to face. Pollution from vehicle emissions causes heart and lung disease, low birth weight and can interrupt the development of children’s lungs. It’s even linked with mental health problems, which is why many cities are looking to address the issue of poor quality air.

In the UK, Clean Air Zones (CAZ) are being introduced in many locations in order to improve air quality. Bristol is one of these locations and with a great number of electric car charging points, e-scooters and CAZ charges, they have made changes to encourage people to protect the air quality in their local area.

What Is a Clean Air Zone?

A Clean Air Zone (CAZ) is a specific area found in the United Kingdom where targeted and serious actions are being implemented in order to improve air quality – one of these areas being Bristol.

Some CAZ areas are non-charging; while others charge the driver if a vehicle exceeds emission standards. This means you have to pay if you drive in a Clean Air Zone. The amount charged depends on the local authorities.

The aim of these zones is to help those living near or in a Clean Air Zone like Bristol enjoy the health benefits of having better quality air. For instance, residents will benefit from less exposure to nitrogen dioxide (NO2).

The UK Government recently moved forward the diesel car ban to 2030, which means the sale of brand-new diesel cars, will be banned, while supporting the electric vehicle (EV) innovations with a new £20m funding pot. This has helped push local authorities to increase their efforts to improve facilities for cleaner commuting.

Does Bristol Have a Clean Air Zone?

Bristol’s Clean Air Zone will be implemented from October 2021, in the hope of delivering compliance with legal limits for air pollution by 2023, sooner than other Clean Air Zone proposals in the past.

CAZ in Bristol is urgently needed to reduce the air pollution as a recent local article reported that 269 schools in the Bristol area are exposed to poor air quality, which exceeds pollution limits risking the health and development of children.

Bristol CAZ Car Checker and Clean Air Zone Charges

More than 71% of vehicles in Bristol are already compliant with the upcoming CAZ, meaning that only a minority of vehicles will need to pay. It is predicted that in the future more people will switch to electric vehicles due to the financial support from the Government.

But for those who are not sure, you can check your vehicle on the government’s compliance checking tool to find out if you will be charged or not.

https://vehiclecheck.drive-clean-air-zone.service.gov.uk/vehicle_checkers/enter_details

How much is the Bristol Diesel Charge?

According to the plan set out by Bristol City Council, private petrol and diesel cars will be charged £9/day with Taxis and LGVs, while HGVs, buses and coaches will have to pay £100 in every 24 hours 7 days a week.

Electric Vehicle Charging Points in Bristol

Throughout the UK, the number of EV charging points continues to rise helping to alleviate range anxiety and there are plenty of electric car charging points in Bristol.

Cleaner Commuting with e-scooters In Bristol

Volt-Age have been involved supporting various e-scooter trials across the UK, providing commercial vehicle hire to those setting up the infrastructure in Southampton and Portsmouth

Voi is the first European scooter operator, founded in Stockholm and expanding rapidly in Europe. Voi e-scooters were launched in Bristol at the end of October 2020 as an alternative way to commute and enjoy the city. Customers can get a day pass or a monthly subscription. Voi like many of the new and upcoming e scooter providers believe in cities without congestion, noise and pollution by going A to B without a noise and free from fossil fuels.

A greener city is very important to local residents whether that involves greener EV’s, cleaner public transport or e-scooters.

Michael, a web developer from Bristol explained, ‘I personally use the e-scooters as they help me filter through traffic and are also socially distant compared to public transport, after having noticed that most of Bristol's city centre is built with cycle lanes and max 30mph roads. Using an electric scooter approved by the WECA means that I am also contributing towards a greener city. “

Volt-Age EV Hire For Customers in Bristol

At Volt-Age Hire, we offer the latest technology and the best electric cars on a self-drive basis anywhere in the UK, including Bristol. These models include the latest offering from Tesla, Nissan BMW, Honda and many others.

By using Volt-Age hire for journeys to and from Bristol, you can reduce emissions, save money on fuel and avoid congestion charges when you plan to visit to the city. Residents of Bristol who are keen to try out an EV can also try out our service to get a taste of driving an EV before making a final decision about buying an electric car or taking on a long term lease.

Don’t hesitate to check our EV hire availability or contact us for a discussion today!