Bradford Council is dedicated to improving air quality in our District. We hope that you will join us on our journey and use your cleanest vehicles when travelling in Bradford.

Bradford CAZ will be launched on 26 September 2022

Bradford Council has been directed by Government to implement a CAZ to achieve compliance with legal limits for air quality. While the Council has put forward alternatives to a CAZ, the Government has instructed the Council that a charging CAZ is the only way that the district can comply with the direction in the shortest possible timeframe.

The Government has directed local authorities to implement CAZ following legal action by Client Earth. Legal limits for air quality should have been achieved in 2010. The latest monitoring data for Bradford shows that the legal limit for nitrogen dioxide is being breached at locations across the district.

Which vehicles will be charged?

The Bradford CAZ will be a class C + Clean Air Zone which means that commercial vehicles entering the CAZ will face a daily charge if they don’t meet the required emission standards.

Passenger cars and motorbikes will not be charged for entering the Bradford CAZ but HGVs, coaches, buses, LGV, minibuses, hackney carriage and private hire vehicles are liable for the charge if they are not compliant with the CAZ vehicle standard.

The Bradford CAZ will cover the area inside, and including, the Bradford outer ring road (A6177). It will also extend out along the Aire Valley corridor, (Manningham Lane/Bradford Road and Canal Road area) to include Shipley and Saltaire.

To prepare for the launch anyone who may be affected by the CAZ should check their vehicles on the Government website: www.gov.uk/clean-air-zones. This will tell them if their vehicle will be charged for driving in any of the UK Clean Air Zones, including Bradford.

What help is available?

It is important to remember that passenger cars and motorbikes will not be charged for entering the Bradford Clean Air Zone. It doesn’t matter if you live outside the Bradford District or if you use your vehicle for work purposes.

The Council has secured the highest level of funding for a CAZ of this type and is providing the most extensive exemptions programme of any CAZ in the UK.

• Bradford businesses are eligible for up to 3 vehicles being exempt so most businesses, as long as they apply, won’t have to pay. This includes self–employed and sole traders. They are also eligible for grants to help them upgrade.
• Bradford householders can also apply for an exemption if you own a non-compliant commercial type vehicle for private use (e.g. vans, campers, motorhomes and horseboxes), you will not have to pay.

There are still opportunities for grants for Bradford businesses to support the replacement or retrofit of non-compliant vehicles to clean air zone standards and to assist with the ongoing running costs of electric vehicles. The window for the HGV and Buses has now closed but there is still some funding available for taxis, LGV and minibuses available on a first come first serve basis.

If you are unsure if you will be charged to drive in the Bradford Clean Air Zone, call our Clean Air Zone team who will be happy to provide you factual information about the status of your vehicle and will let you know if you are eligible for a grant or an exemption.  Telephone 01274 435533.

Is Bradford ready?

Over £30 million of funding has been made available to help our District become cleaner and we have been working hard to help local businesses take advantage of this.

Bradford district now has one of the cleanest taxi fleets in the country with 87% of taxis being compliant, with the support of £4m of electric vehicle grants to achieve a 25% electric fleet.

• We have assisted with the upgrade of over 370 buses ensuring all scheduled and tendered services meet the Clean Air Zone standard. 33 new electric buses will start running on busy routes next year.
• £7.4m in grants have been allocated to assist businesses to upgrade over 20% of all lorries registered in the district.
• There have been over 3,400 grant applications across the funding categories (HGV, Bus, Coach, LGV, Minibus and Taxis.)

Any revenue from the introduction of the CAZ will be reinvested in further programmes in the district to reduce harmful emissions. This may include support for zero emission buses, further help for residents and businesses to upgrade their vehicles, the development of hydrogen in the district and support for schools to reduce emissions in their areas.

You can find out more about the Bradford Clean Air Zone by visiting our website: www.bradford.gov.uk/breathe-better-bradford/breathe-better-bradford/