Inspector Morse would not have approved. Britain’s first Zero Emission Zone will begin in Oxford on Monday, bringing with it a whole new set of charges for many petrol, diesel and hybrid cars.
While the boozy bobby was famed for driving his iconic, gas-guzzling red Jaguar Mark 2 around the streets of Oxford as he solved countless murder cases, the city of dreaming spires has launched a pilot scheme that will affect many motorists travelling to the middle of Oxford.
A Zero Emission Zone – or ZEZ – takes schemes such as a Clean Air Zone one stage further. Cities including London and Bristol already have Clean Air Zones in place, but the ZEZ aims to reduce inner-city air pollution even further by only allowing zero-emissions vehicles to drive in the city centre without incurring a charge.
All petrol and diesel cars – including hybrids – will have to pay a daily charge if they are driven within the zone unless they have a 100 per cent discount or an exemption in place. They will be able to pay for it up to six days in advance, on the day the vehicle is driven in the zone or in the six days afterwards.
Cars that are not exempt from the scheme will have to pay a charge if they drive into the zone between 7am and 7pm.
The zone will be outlined by traffic signs, while the scheme will be enforced by automatic number plate recognition cameras which will be able to detect whether or not a driver has paid the charge if appropriate.
Councils will be able to see how the scheme operates before deciding whether or not to expand the zone. Oxfordshire County Council said this wider zone “will be subject to further assessments, consultation and funding”.
Charges will be based on how much CO2 a vehicle emits and its Euro status. Electric cars and other zero-emissions vehicles incur no charge, while ultra-low emissions vehicles which emit under 75g/km will incur a £2 daily charge, rising to £4 as of August 2025.
Vehicles with four or more wheels that meet Euro 4 petrol or Euro 6 diesel standards will incur a £4 daily charge or £8 from August 2025, while any vehicle not meeting any of these standards will be charged £10 to enter the zone, or £20 from August 2025.
Drivers will be issued with a penalty charge notice for non-payment of the charge. The fine will be £60 or £30 if paid within 14 days of the notice being issued.
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