BRISTOL CLEAN AIR ZONE IS BEING CALLED 'OUTRAGEOUS'

You will get no notification if you have driven in the clean air zone and it's your responsibility to pay any charges

All drivers travelling in the Bristol Clean Air Zone are urged to pay the charge, even if they aren't sure whether or not they have entered the area. The city council does not have the capacity to determine whether or not a motorist has paid. Consequently, motoristsparticularly those who are less familiar with Bristol - should take it upon themselves to pay the £9 charge, regardless of whether or not they actually drove through the CAZ. This system stands in contrast with London's Congestion Charge where drivers can register their vehicles and pay when entering the zone. While this methodology may appear unfair at first glance, it is important for drivers to adhere to regulations and plan accordingly when travelling into and out of Bristol City Centre.

Bristol City Council has told motorists it is their responsibility to check their vehicles eligibility for the Clean Air Zone charge, and whether their journey on any given day was within the Zone. Though they can pay in advance of a journey or up to six days after they’ve travelled, Bristol’s CAZ system doesn’t give them the ability to check if they entered the zone during their route.

In London, that can be done by setting up an account with bank details and vehicle registration number-- triggering an automatic payment whenever that plate is caught by Congestion or ULEZ cameras.

A spokesperson for Bristol City Council explained that the London scheme has far more resources than those given to Bristol to set up such a system. “London’s Congestion Charge is well-established and massively resourced compared to Bristol’s and other similar Clean Air Zone schemes around the country, which have similar systems,” he said. “The system we have puts the onus on the driver to know whether they have entered the Clean Air Zone. We recognise people who are unfamiliar with the city’s roads may need to work that out after their journey, which is why there is the ability to pay after the journey is made, rather than automatically being fined straight away,” he added.

Bristol City Council’s website information about the Clean Air Zone does contain a link to the DVLA vehicle checker so people can see in advance - or afterwards - if their vehicle is liable for the charge, and does contain a detailed map of the CAZ itself.

The council warns motorists that if they pay the CAZ in advance and then don’t make the journey into it - there are no refunds.

He added:

“We don’t give refunds if you paid the zone charge in advance but then didn’t travel through the zone on that day. Only pay in advance if you are certain that you are going to travel into the zone,” a council spokesperson said.

“You will not be notified if you have driven in the zone and it’s your responsibility to pay any charges,” they added. “There are road signs that tell you if you are approaching or entering the Clean Air Zone. These are at regular intervals as you approach the zone boundary. Signs have a clearly marked green cloud with the letter ‘D’ inside,