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Clean Air Zone In Bristol

Wed, 23 Nov 2022 14:01:29 GMT

Bristol Clean Air Zone explained:

Who has to pay and how much?

Bristol is poised to join a growing number of cities in charging some of the most polluting vehicles to enter the city centre. It comes on the back of growing concern about the impact of air pollution on public health. The Bristol Clean Air Zone (CAZ) is due to start on 28 November, and will cover the city centre and some of the inner suburbs.

But drivers will be wondering who has to pay and how much.

Here is what you need to know.

Where is the CAZ?

The zone stretches just north of the James Barton Roundabout, to Hotwells to the west, Temple Way and Temple Meads Station in the east and south to Coronation Road in Southville.

It also juts up Hotwells Road, under the Clifton Suspension Bridge and up Bridge Valley Road to where it meets Ladies Mile and Clifton Down, while in Newtown, to the east of the city, it covers a section of West Street to where it meets Midland Road. There is a map of the CAZ on Bristol City Council's website.

What is the point of the CAZ?

Cities across the country have rolled out CAZs in a bid to bring down inner-city pollution, particularly nitrogen dioxide levels, to below legal limits set by the government.

There is a growing awareness of how damaging dirty air can be on our health, with children, older people and people with heart, breathing and other health problems most at risk.

It is hoped CAZs will persuade more people to ditch the most polluting vehicles, and to opt to walk, cycle or take public transport instead.

The council has said they are not intended to be money-making schemes, so any funds raised over the first 10 years will be spent on CAZs operational costs and any additional revenue will go towards the council's transport policies, including improving bus services and cycle routes.

Who has to pay and how much?

The owners of certain polluting vehicles will have to pay and Bristol City Council estimates 71% of vehicles registered to the city are already compliant.

Any diesel vehicles that do not meet Euro 6 emissions will be charged, and these are likely to have been registered before September 2015.

Petrol vehicles that do not conform to Euro 4 standards will also be charged, and they are generally ones that were registered before 1 January 2006.

Drivers can check their car, van or lorry's compliance on the CAZ section of the government's website .

Private cars, taxis and vans or lorries weighing less than 3.5 tonnes will pay £9 per day, while non-compliant lorries, buses and coaches will pay £100.

When does the charge apply?

The charge will apply 24 hours a day, seven days a week, but only once in a 24-hour period, meaning non-compliant vehicles can make multiple journeys in a day.

Certain drivers can apply for a temporary exemption, for example visitors to clinics and hospitals within the zone can apply for a seven day pass.

Blue badge holders can also apply for an exemption to give them time to change or upgrade their vehicle.

Community transport vehicles may also be able to avoid the charge, while people driving a vehicle that is disabled class tax are automatically exempt from paying in all CAZs nationally.

Drivers can find out if they can apply for an exemption on the council's website .

I can't afford to change vehicles, what do I do?

Bristol Council has a multi-million pound funding pot to help drivers change or modify their vehicles. Of this, £1.8m is earmarked for cars and drivers able to apply for a loan or a grant of up to £2,000 - disabled drivers and those on incomes of less than £27,000 will be given priority.

The lions share, £32m, is reserved for businesses to upgrade HGVs, LGVs, coaches taxis and private hire vehicles, with sums of between £1,500 and £16,000 available depending on the vehicle.

A further £5.9m will be spent on helping people switch to public transport, walking or cycling, with funding available for cycle training, free bus tickets and loans for electric bikes.

Those planning to apply for financial support can register their interest on the council's website.

How do I pay?

Drivers can pay online using the CAZ payment portal on the government's website , or by calling by the Clean Air Zone support line on 0300 0298888.

The charge can be paid up to six days before or six days after entering the zone.

Businesses handling a fleet of vehicles can set up an account to manage multiple payments on the government's website.

What happens if I don't pay?

Drivers who fail to pay will be issued with a fine of £120 via penalty charge notice (PCN).

The fine will be cut by 50% to £60 if it is paid within 14 days.

Fines can be paid online or over the phone, where the driver will be asked to quote their 10 digit PCN number. Those with exemptions for Bristol's Clean Air Zone will not need to log anything or show anything in their vehicle.

To read the article ats original source on the BBC's website please click the below link.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-63337837

UK car sales plunge but electric vehicles soar to record amid fuel crisis

Thu, 21 Oct 2021 08:09:53 GMT

UK car sales plunge but electric vehicles soar to record amid fuel crisis

Global chip shortage helps push car registrations to lowest level for more than two decades

The number of electric cars sold in the UK last month neared the figures for the whole of 2019, with panic-buying at the petrol pumps expected to accelerate consumer appetite to switch to cleaner vehicles.

Nearly 33,000 pure electric cars were registered in a record month for EVs, almost 50% more than last year, as sales of new cars otherwise tumbled to the weakest September total for more than two decades.

The global shortages of semiconductors affecting car manufacturers was a major factor as only 215,312 new cars in total were registered last month, the worst number since 1998, according to the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) .

To read the full article please click here

If you already own an electric or hybrid car, we have an experience and fully trained technician in house that is an electric car specialist.

Does Your Car Air Conditioning Need Repairing in time for the Summer?

Thu, 03 Jun 2021 16:40:10 GMT

Does your car's air conditioning need repairing in time for the Summer months?

May turned of to be one of the wettest May's on record, plus it was cold, and generally gloomy. Finally the start of summer made an appearance in time for the bank holiday weekend at the end of May.

If you haven't put on or tested your air conditioning yet due to the weather, or you have noticed over the bank holiday weekend the air isn't coming out as cold as it should be. Please feel free to call us, we offer regassing and air conditioning diagnostics and repairs.

Please feel free to contact us, before you find yourself heading off on your summer holiday in the car and realising the AC isn't working properly.

Electric vehicles will be cheaper than petrol cars by 2027, claims new report, as battery costs dive and demand climbs

Mon, 10 May 2021 22:44:35 GMT

Electric vehicles will be cheaper than petrol cars by 2027, claims new report, as battery costs dive and demand climbs

Study claims manufacturing costs will be lower for electric saloons and SUVs compared to petrol-powered models by 2026

All EVs, including superminis, will be less expensive to make by a year later

Report claims this is due to cheaper batteries, with costs down 58% by 2030 compared to 2020

Green campaigners say more affordable prices means bans on new petrol and diesel car sales across Europe should come from 2035

That's 5 years later than petrol and diesel car sales are being outlawed in UK

To read more regarding this article, please click here to go to This Is Money website.

Plug-in car, van and truck grant to be targeted at more affordable models to allow more people to make the switch

Tue, 13 Apr 2021 16:33:04 GMT

Plug-in car, van and truck grant to be targeted at more affordable models to allow more people to make the switch

As more people than ever opt for electric vehicles, the government announces changes to the plug-in car, van and truck grant.

The grant scheme for electric cars, vans and trucks has been updated to target less expensive models and reflect a greater range of affordable vehicles available, allowing the scheme’s funding to go further and help more people make the switch to an electric vehicle.

From today (18 March 2021), the government will provide grants of up to £2,500 for electric vehicles on cars priced under £35,000.

This will mean the funding will last longer and be available to more drivers. Grants will no longer be available for higher-priced vehicles, typically bought by drivers who can afford to switch without a subsidy from taxpayers.

The number of electric car models priced under £35,000 has increased by almost 50% since 2019 and more than half the models currently on the market will still be eligible for the grant, including spacious family cars, such as the Hyundai Kona 39kWh and the MG ZS EV.

Government measures to encourage people to switch to electric vehicles are also working, with nearly 11% of new cars sold in 2020 having a plug. This was up from just over 3% in 2019 – and battery electric car sales almost tripled over that same period.

The plug-in vehicle grant scheme was renewed last year, with £582 million of funding intended to last until 2022 to 2023.

Transport Minister Rachel Maclean said:

We want as many people as possible to be able to make the switch to electric vehicles as we look to reduce our carbon emissions, strive towards our net-zero ambitions and level up right across the UK.

The increasing choice of new vehicles, growing demand from customers and rapidly rising number of charge points mean that, while the level of funding remains as high as ever, given soaring demand, we are refocusing our vehicle grants on the more affordable zero emission vehicles – where most consumers will be looking and where taxpayers’ money will make more of a difference.

We will continue to review the grant as the market grows.

The plug-in car grant was introduced 10 years ago to stimulate the early market for zero emission vehicles. Since 2011, government has provided close to £1.3 billion in plug-in vehicle grant funding to bring ultra-low emission vehicles onto UK roads, supporting the purchase of more than 285,000 vehicles.

We have been clear since 2018 that we intend to reduce the plug-in car grant. We are retaining support for the switch to electric vehicles through other new investments. Today’s changes are the latest step in this.

Generous tax incentives, including favourable company car tax rates, which can save drivers over £2,000 a year, will remain in place.

The government is also investing more than £15 billion of new money in alternatives to cars, including:

£3 billion for buses

£2 billion for cycling

more than £4 billion for local transport in cities

£5 billion for enhancements to the rail network, including electrification and reopening lines closed under the Beeching cuts

More affordable batteries mean that manufacturers can increase the range of the vehicles, including the VW ID.3 Pro (from £32,000 RRP) with a 263-mile range – more than the distance between London and Middlesbrough. This is more than 3 times the typical range available when the plug-in car grant first launched in 2011, thanks to steep falls in battery costs.

As the market develops even further, we expect further price reductions in electric vehicles.

To visit the original source of this blog, please click here which will take you to the UK Government's website.

Number of rapid electric car chargers increases in 2020

Thu, 11 Feb 2021 10:10:51 GMT

Number rapid electric car chargers in UK up 37% in 2020
Government data shows continued growth in the UK’s EV charging infrastructure, but warns of uneven regional distribution

The number of public rapid electric vehicle chargers in the UK grew 37 per cent in 2021, according to new official figures.

As of 4 January 2021, there were 20,775 public EV chargers of all types in the UK - up by a quarter in 2020 - of which 3,880 were rapid devices. In the fourth quarter of 2020 alone, 1,288 chargers were installed, including 350 rapid devices.

However, the data released by the Department for Transport in conjunction with Zap-Map also revealed an “uneven geographical distribution” of public EV chargers in the UK. Across the whole of the UK, there are 31 public chargers per 100,000 people. Broken down by nation, that’s 31 per 100,000 in England, 26 in Wales, 40 in Scotland and just 17 in Northern Ireland.

There’s also a disparity between different regions in England. London has 69 public chargers per 100,000 people - more than anywhere else - followed by the south-east (31) and the south-west (28). Joint-lowest are the north-west and Yorkshire and the Humber, both of which only have 19 chargers per 100,000 people, while the West Midlands has 20 per 100,000.

Rapid charger rollout

There are 5.8 rapid chargers per 100,000 people in the entire UK. Scotland has 10 per 100,000 people, which is a higher proportion than any other nation or region. England has 5.7 per 100,000, Wales has 3.2 and Northern Ireland has just 1.1.

The south-east of England has the highest proportion of rapid chargers in the nation, with 6.9 per 100,000 people, followed by the north-east with 6.4 and the south-west with 6.1. The north-west has the least with 4.4 per 100,000 people.

The number of public chargers in each region increased in the fourth quarter of 2020, except for the north-east of England where the number actually went down by 3.4 per cent. The DfT explained: “Owners and operators can choose to temporarily or permanently decommission or replace devices, or they can be unavailable due to faults, maintenance or other restrictions in the area where they are located.”

Wales saw the largest percentage increase in chargers in Q4 2020 - up 19 per cent - while London installed the most chargers with 500 new devices.

To see the original source of this post please click here which will take you Auto Express website.

New era for the UK has begun

Thu, 31 Dec 2020 00:25:26 GMT

New era for the UK has begun

A new era has begun for the United Kingdom after it completed its formal separation from the European Union.

The UK stopped following EU rules at 23:00 GMT, as replacement arrangements for travel, trade, immigration and security co-operation came into force.

Boris Johnson said the UK had "freedom in our hands" and the ability to do things "differently and better" now the long Brexit process was over.

To read the full article please click here which will take you to the BBC's website.

Ministers are considering a 'zero emission vehicle mandate' demanding makers sell an increasing number of electric cars each year.

Tue, 20 Oct 2020 13:51:43 GMT

Carmakers could be compelled to sell a rising share of electric vehicles each year under California-style plans being considered by the government.

Ministers believe a “zero emission vehicle mandate”, similar to the one introduced in the US state in the 1990s, could be the most efficient way of delivering their pledge to end the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2035. It would allow grants and other subsidies for electric cars, such as zero road tax, to be phased out while ensuring sales rose rapidly. It could also help attract electric car manufacturers to Britain.

This information was taken from The Times

Make the most of the season by following these simple guidelines

Tue, 20 Oct 2020 12:56:03 GMT

As a business we have been and continue to operate in a COVID secure way, but we thought it was worth sharing again the Government's advice on the things we can do to all stay safe.

There are three simple actions we must all do to keep on protecting each other

Wash hands

keep washing your hands regularly

Cover face

wear a face covering in enclosed spaces

Make space

stay at least 2 metres apart - or 1 metre with a face covering or other precautions

Our Blog

Clean Air Zone In Bristol

Bristol Clean Air Zone explained:

Who has to pay and how much?

UK car sales plunge but electric vehicles soar to record amid fuel crisis

Does Your Car Air Conditioning Need Repairing in time for the Summer?

Does your car's air conditioning need repairing in time for the Summer months?

Electric vehicles will be cheaper than petrol cars by 2027, claims new report, as battery costs dive and demand climbs

Electric vehicles will be cheaper than petrol cars by 2027, claims new report, as battery costs dive and demand climbs

Plug-in car, van and truck grant to be targeted at more affordable models to allow more people to make the switch

Plug-in car, van and truck grant to be targeted at more affordable models to allow more people to make the switch

Number of rapid electric car chargers increases in 2020

Number rapid electric car chargers in UK up 37% in 2020 Government data shows continued growth in the UK’s EV charging infrastructure, but warns of uneven regional distribution

New era for the UK has begun

New era for the UK has begun

Ministers are considering a 'zero emission vehicle mandate' demanding makers sell an increasing number of electric cars each year.

Carmakers could be compelled to sell a rising share of electric vehicles each year under California-style plans being considered by the government.

Make the most of the season by following these simple guidelines

Number rapid electric car chargers in UK up 37% in 2020
Government data shows continued growth in the UK’s EV charging infrastructure, but warns of uneven regional distribution