Dawsongroup | finance have some invaluable information and advice about Clean Air Zones and what they could mean for your business.

There is already a long-term plan in place to cut carbon and nitrogen dioxide levels in travel and improve air quality, especially in towns and cities. Part of the armoury in this ongoing battle is Clean Air Zones, or CAZs.

CAZs have already been rolled out across many big cities including Bath, Birmingham, and Portsmouth and of course London with its extended Ultra-Low Emissions Zone, with further local authorities set to follow suit in the future – Bristol, Greater Manchester, Newcastle, Oxford, Sheffield and Bradford among them.

Hit on Haulage

Most of these schemes specifically target and penalise the use of older, more polluting commercial vehicles. Clean Air Zones are split into classes A to D – all except A include HGVs.

At the moment HGV truck tractor units, rigid vehicles and other heavy commercial vehicles are only exempt from clean air zone restrictions and charges if they meet Euro 6 (VI) emissions standards – and that generally means those vehicles registered after 2014.

Find out more about the Hit on Haulage and the charges you could incur here.

Preparing for the Changes

It is clear that businesses, even those not in the immediate vicinity of current CAZs, need to prepare.  As they continue to come into force across the country, CAZs have a particular impact on HGV operators who will need to take them into consideration when planning fleet changes and making other business decisions.

Upgrading your fleet, whether to be compliant with emissions standards, or going the whole hog and moving over to plug-in hybrid, hydrogen or EV trucks, can represent a significant cost burden – but asset financing options can make that transition manageable.

Dawsongroup | finance can help operators achieve the flexibility they need both in terms of their fleet operations and financial management. Our asset financing options can help you get into the vehicles you need to avoid falling foul of the CAZ regulations, without impacting your all-important capital reserves. With different packages and options available, you can plan for the future, while managing cash flow.

Find out more about Preparing for the Changes here.

Read more about Clean Air Zones here or find out how Dawsongroup | finance can help your business prepare for a greener future by contacting them today.