When you’re a haulier, you have the luxury of getting to travel all over the country (and sometimes even internationally). As you complete your deliveries and pick up your return loads, you get the opportunity to meet people from all different walks of life who come from cities you may never have thought to visit were it not for your mobile career.
However, along with all the positives of travelling for work comes much responsibility – specifically keeping on top of the ever-changing rules and regulations of each and every city you visit. That can be tough and knowing the lay of so many different lands definitely requires a lot of research skills and a good memory. Luckily for you, this article is here to make things just a little bit easier, especially if you’re driving through the Birmingham area anytime soon (consider it a cheat sheet, if you will). The city has just implemented a new policy that you may have missed, but even if you’ve already heard of it, a reminder never hurt anyone.
Read on to learn all the ins and outs of Birmingham’s daily clean air zone charge.
The Cost of Clean Air
Birmingham’s new policy on clean air is quite simple. Any non-Euro 6 heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) will now be charged a fee to enter the Birmingham Clean Air Zone (CAZ), which covers every road inside the A4540 Middleway ring road. Originally the cost was going to be £100 per day for any noncompliant vehicles that entered this zone – however, the council has now settled for a lower charge of £50. Although this will be a daily fee (meaning that every day you enter the CAZ, you will be subject to the payment), you may enter and leave the zone as many times as you want throughout the day without incurring any further costs.
Realising You’re Non-Compliant? No Problem!
Don’t let this news stress you out if you’ve suddenly realised none of your vehicles are compliant – there is a lot of breathing room. To begin with, this law isn’t scheduled to be imposed until January of 2020, which means you’ve got almost a year to invest in a new fleet or find a new route that avoids the A4540 Middleway ring road.
It has also been announced that all hauliers who are registered within the CAZ will be allotted an exemption lasting one year for any two of their noncompliant vehicles. Additionally, any fleets that operate in the West Midlands will have the opportunity to apply for financial help towards either altering their lorries so they meet the new requirements, or purchasing completely new compliant vehicles.
Whether you’re delivering goods to and picking up return loads from Birmingham on a daily basis, or your job only takes you there once in a blue moon, it’s important to be aware of their new clean air policy so you’re not taken by surprise by an unexpected bill. After all, knowledge is power.
Norman Dulwich is a Correspondent for Haulage Exchange, the leading online trade network for the road transport industry. Connecting logistics professionals across the UK and Europe through their website, Haulage Exchange provides services for matching delivery work and return loads with available drivers. Over 5,400 member companies are networked together through the Exchange to fill empty capacity, get new clients and form long-lasting business relationships.
This article is copyright free.