Sheffield’s Clean Air Zone is now live. It is a class C chargeable zone for the most polluting heavy goods vehicles (HGVs), light goods vehicles (LGVs), vans, buses, coaches and taxis that drive within the inner ring road and city centre.

Chris Chamberlain from Dodona eMobility ponders whether this move is commendable, or whether it is constricting local small businesses too early in EV adoption?

“Whilst I believe strongly that we need to improve the air quality in our cities, we also have small businesses that are struggling to stay afloat and even if they wanted to transition to EV there are very few vehicles to purchase even if they can afford them and have somewhere to charge them. Central government continue to offer little for the Transition to EV providing Sheffield only 14% of the financial support required.”

Chris concluded by saying, “In my humble opinion we need need to create at better WIN:WIN structure for these initiatives.”

Which vehicles will be charged?

In a Class C Clean Air Zone charges apply to specific types of vehicles that do not meet the minimum emission standards set by the Government. These are:

• taxis, including both Hackney Carriages and private hire vehicles, that do not meet Euro 6 Diesel or Euro 4 Petrol standards 
• light goods vehicles (LGVS) such as vans, campervans and pickup trucks and minibuses that do not meet Euro 6 Diesel or Euro 4 Petrol standards
• buses and coaches that do not meet Euro 6 Diesel or Euro 4 Petrol standards
• heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) that do not meet Euro 6 Diesel or Euro 4 Petrol standards

You can check if your vehicle meets Sheffield’s Clean Air Zone standards via the government vehicle checker.

Private cars and motorbikes will not be charged. If you or your business is based in Sheffield or Rotherham and runs LGVs then you could be eligible to apply for a temporary exemption until 5 June 2023. If you own a Hackney Carriage taxi licensed with Sheffield City Council you will not be charged until 5 June 2023 – the exemption will be set up automatically.

What do you think?

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