UK drivers urged to use £2,000 scrappage scheme to avoid daily Clean Air Zone fines
Drivers in Birmingham are being offered the chance to scrap their old petrol or diesel car in exchange for a £2,000 grant to avoid the daily Clean Air Zone charge.
Since then, drivers who have cars which are not compliant with the Clean Air Zone have been required to pay £8 per day to drive within the city.
The £10million scrappage scheme was launched to help those in Birmingham gain easier access to cleaner, CAZ-compliant vehicles, as well as lower the emissions rate.
The "travel credits" can be used on the city's expansive public transport network, or use the money to put towards a new, CAZ-compliant vehicle.
Councillor Liz Clements, Cabinet Member for Transport at Birmingham City Council, praised the scheme for helping drivers switch to electric cars and other cleaner vehicles.
She said: “Since the launch of the Clean Air Zone, the percentage of the most polluting vehicles entering Birmingham city centre has more than halved, which is helping to reduce the levels of air pollution in our city.
“Through our partnership with Motorpoint, we’re encouraging people who work in the Clean Air Zone to scrap a non-compliant vehicle in exchange for a £2,000 credit that can be redeemed against public transport or a replacement, compliant vehicle.
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"This scheme underlines our commitment to supporting the transformation of Birmingham to a clean air city.”
Anthony Brown, from Selly Oak, was one of the first to take advantage of the scrappage scheme, trading in his old 60-plate Vauxhall Insignia.
With the £2,000 grant, the bank worker was able to upgrade to a 69-plate Kia Sportage, which is more environmentally friendly and crucially avoids the daily CAZ charge.
He cited the expensive £8 daily charge, coupled with expensive diesel prices and the cost of parking in the city centre.
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The Clean Air Zone charges drivers of cars, taxis and large goods vehicles £8 per day to drive in the area.
As with other emissions-based charging zones around the country, coaches and heavy goods vehicles are charged a much higher rate, in this case, £50 per day.
If people fail to pay within six days of their visit to the area, they will face a £120 fine, although this is reduced to £60 if they pay within two weeks.
He highlighted how the incentive of £2,000 was popular, with many drivers also looking at the travel credit system, to make use of the buses and trams across the city.
Mr Jones added: "The scrappage scheme provides those commuters who work within the Clean Air Zone boundary an opportunity to change their older non-compliant car to a nearly new car that meets the Clean Air Standards and so avoid the daily £8 charge.
“All of our cars are 100 percent CAZ compliant. Our staff are very knowledgeable about the scheme, and we have over 30 makes and models to suit people’s budgets and driving needs.
"We know nearly new cars are far more efficient cars to run and are all at unbeatable prices.”
Last month, almost 50,000 fines from the Birmingham Clean Air Zone were scrapped after drivers refused to pay.
The fines were described as being “unfair”, although critics say this is evidence that the scheme is not working properly.
Birmingham City Council said that since the introduction of the CAZ in 2021, around six percent of penalty charge notices have been scrapped.