Bristol clean air zone goes live

Bristol City Council has launched a Clean Air Zone, which covers a small central area of the city and the Portway, and means older and more polluting vehicles will be charged.

Daily charges for Bristol Clean Air Zone apply 24 hours a day (midnight to midnight), seven days a week, all year round, and must be paid within six days of travel.

Business owners can sign up to the Business Accounts Feature, to set up a Bristol-specific account to help manage payment for multiple vehicles entering and exiting the Zone.

The council will send Penalty Charge Notices to people who drive non-compliant vehicles in the Zone and do not pay the appropriate daily charge.

However, for the next six weeks, people will be given the option of a Special Payment Offer which gives seven additional days to pay the appropriate daily charge for that journey. This is £9 for private cars, taxis and light goods vehicles and £100 for heavy goods vehicles, buses and coaches. If the charge is paid, the remaining Penalty Charge of £120 will be cancelled.

Failure to pay this daily charge will result in a full Penalty Charge Notice of £120, or £60 if paid within 14 days, as well as the outstanding daily charge.

Drivers in Bristol and surrounding areas are encouraged to look out for roadside signage showing when they are entering or approaching the zone. Some signs count down how many miles to go until the zone starts and others have a green cloud symbol on, with the letter D inside.