What HGV Drivers Need to Know About Birmingham’s New Clean Air Zone

If you live or work in and around Birmingham, you may already be aware of the city’s plans for a Clean Air Zone (CAZ), which is aimed at reducing vehicle emissions and improving air quality. For those of you who aren’t in the know, the plan was recently approved by the government and it is set to affect many in the city, including those currently taking HGV training in Birmingham.

Both existing and new HGV drivers need to be aware of how these changes are going to affect their daily working lives. The good news is that there is existing HGV training in Birmingham available that covers important factors like this one and we’ll explain to access it shortly. For now, however, let’s look closer at the specific details of the new CAZ.

January 2020

Whilst the exact date that the CAZ comes into force isn’t yet known, it is expected to occur at some point in January 2020. Perhaps one of the biggest changes to note is that a daily £50 pollution charge for HGV vehicles is going to come into effect, with car and LGV drivers paying just £8. Once in place, this rule is going to apply 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, all year round, meaning those currently taking HGV training in Birmingham to obtain their HGV licence are going to have to take this fee into account each day when driving in the city once qualified.

The Zone Covered

The CAZ doesn’t cover the entirety of the city of Birmingham though, rather just the roads that lie within the A45450 Middleway Ring Road, excluding the Middleway itself. There are some exceptions to this rule, such as non-HGV vehicles belonging to residents who moved to the city centre before September of 2018, which will be exempt until some time in 2022.

Suffice to say that if you’re going to be driving your HGV in Birmingham regularly, this charge could have a major impact on your profitability or on the work available. If you would want to read the full details about charges, you should take a look at Birmingham City Council’s website.

HGV Training in Birmingham

If you’re someone considering a career in HGV driving in the West Midlands, Birmingham’s Clean Air Zone is just one of the many factors you’ll have to contend with on a daily basis once you’re qualified. You’ll need to know how to stay safe, keep your vehicle in good working order and take regular periodic training to refresh your knowledge.

At HGVT, we completely understand what’s required to stay safe, legally compliant and be successful in your professional driving career, so when you come to us, you’re certainly in safe hands.

We offer comprehensive HGV training in Birmingham as part of our national network of approved training centres and we even help you to find work at the end of your training!

All of our HGV and CPC courses are DVSA and JAUPT approved and are carried out by our highly experienced team of instructors who know more than a thing or two about what it takes to be a successful HGV driver. In fact, we’ve got a student pass rate of 92%, so if you’ve got the will to succeed, we can help you realise your HGV driving ambitions.