Leeds Clean Air Zone Is Coming
What is the cost of clean air in leeds?
A clean air zone charge, or CAZ, is coming to Leeds and the big question we are all asking is “Will I be charged to drive in Leeds?”
The answer to this question is YES, NO and MAYBE.
As a private car owner, no you won’t. (Although, Leeds City Council has suggested that they may reconsider this.)
However, in a coach or minibus then yes, you might be!
Let’s explore what Leeds Clean Air Zone is and then how it affects you!
What IS LEEDS Clean Air Zone?
The first question to ask is why is Leeds Council doing this?
As part of an EU Directive on air quality, 28 cities were identified to be problems, but there were 5 highlighted as especially problematic. Leeds was in this top 5.
The problem is that these cities will be over the nitrogen oxide compliance limits by 2020 if they keep going like they are. So, these 5 cities have been told to address their NO2 levels as soon as possible.
One action to reduce this air pollutant is to discourage the most toxic vehicles from entering the City centre. This, in turn, will reduce the pollution and improve the air quality in our great city.
Consequently, any coach or minibus that does not meet the minimum engine standards will need to pay a daily charge for entering the ‘zone’. In the instance of a non-compliant coach, this cost will be £50 per day. So, you may see the cost of your trip in an older coach or minibus substantially increase!
What Vehicles will have to pay?
Only the most polluting vehicles will have the pay the CAZ charge when they enter. So, if your coach is below either a Euro 4 petrol engine or Euro 6 diesel engine, then it will cost you £50. This charge affects the following:
- coaches
- heavy goods vehicles (HGV)
- taxi and private hire vehicles
Subsequently, if you are planning a trip by coach or minibus to many of the UK’s major cities, you may see your journey cost increase if your travel company does not have compliant vehicles.
Will I Be Charged?
The great news is that no charge will be applied to any private cars (for now) or coaches, minibuses and vehicles as long as they are compliant. Luckily, all of our fleet at TJs Travel are compliant. All of our modern vehicles have newer, cleaner Euro 5 and 6 engines. So, if you travel with us, you will be unaffected by these plans.
When Is Leeds CAZ Coming?
Leeds CAZ arrives 1st January 2020. Under the current proposals, this Clean Air Zone will follow the boundary of the outer ring road, down to the M621 in the south of the city.
This clean air zone will cover over 55% of the city )if you want to know where visit www.leeds.gov.uk/airqualityconsultation
TJS are Compliant and Cost Effective
The great news is that here at TJs Travel we have always been committed to our environment. We take every action to ensure that our modern vehicles are as eco-efficient as possible. You can be confident that with us, you won’t see an increase in price once CAZ arrives.
We also regularly maintain and service our vehicles in-house to ensure their optimum efficiency while reducing Green House Gas (GHG) emissions.
Right now we are working harder than ever to ensure that our vehicles continue to be compliant. Every one of our coaches and minibuses run on the latest Euro compliant engines. They produce fewer emissions per mile than ever before!
Not Just Leeds But London Low Emission Zone Compliant Too
We also meet current regulations set by Transport for London (TFL). As a regular user of London, we work within the London Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ).
To achieve this, we not only ensure that all our coaches are ULEZ compliant, but we also use specialised catalytic converters and ‘Adblue’ technology to reduce our emissions throughout our fleet further.
Eco-Friendly Drivers
All of our drivers are trained to use the eco-friendliest routes; meaning that you pay less while helping the planet. Our highly trained planning office find the most efficient route for your trip so that we produce fewer emissions and therefore reduce any potential pollution.
If this blog has forced you to look at your travel company right now another thing to consider is a good Environmental Policy. We have one at TJs Travel, and it guarantees that our entire company, drivers and vehicles adhere to minimising emissions and taking continuous steps towards reducing our carbon footprint.
Go Green – Travel by Coach
If you’re a group planner & thinking about travelling by minibus or coach, then you’re already doing your bit for the environment. Going by minibus or coaches causes less pollution per person per mile than it would do travelling as a group on a train or in a car. Especially when you use a company like TJs Travel who have CAZ compliant, low-emission vehicles and possess a genuine commitment to caring for you and our planet.
