Clean Air Zones
In January, polluting vehicles in Newcastle and Gateshead (Tyneside) saw daily charges begin following the introduction of the Clean Air Zone in November 2022.
The “grace period” was offered for drivers to allow them to adjust to the Clean Air Zone and gain access to zero emission vehicles.
Non-compliant lorries, buses and coaches will be hit with £50-a-day tolls, while the worst polluting vans and taxis will be charged £12.50 per day.
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February also saw a Clean Air Zone launch in Sheffield, with the Government calling for the scheme to be introduced to slash emissions in the city.
The most polluting petrol and diesel vans, LGVs and taxis will face charges of £10 per day, while coaches, buses, lorries and HGVs will face £50 per day charges.
Councillor Julie Grocutt, Co-Chair of the Transport Regeneration and Climate Policy Committee, said: “The Clean Air Zone is a necessary intervention to protect current and future generations in our city from the effects of exposure to NO2 emissions.
“We cannot ignore these damaging effects and must implement important schemes such as the Clean Air Zone for the benefit of our city.”
Car tax changes
New vehicle tax rates were unveiled on April 1, with most drivers seeing an increase in the amount they pay to keep their cars on the road.
For petrol and diesel vehicles registered after the first of April, charges will rise, starting from vehicles which release between 51 to 75g/km of CO2, where drivers will need to pay £30, up from £25.
The most polluting petrol and diesel vehicles – which produce more than 255g/km of CO2 – will need to pay £2,605, a rise of £240 from last year.
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Number plate changes
March 1 marked “new reg day” with drivers around England, Scotland and Wales seeing the rollout of the “23” plate.
Sticking with tradition, the new licence plate marks the first change of the year, with the “73” plate being released in September.
All new number plates must adhere to a specific set of requirements to be road legal, with drivers risking fines of up to £1,000 if they are obscured.
Electric car parking fines
For electric car drivers in Sheffield and Glasgow, April saw an unpopular new law introduced which could see them fined for staying at a charging station for too long.
EV owners in Sheffield now face fines of £20, while those in Glasgow could be slapped with a £30 ticket.
The “overstay charge” has been launched by some councils and charge point operators to ensure people aren’t taking up space and prevent any blockages from happening, as seen over Christmas.
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