Birmingham City Council has officially launched its Vehicle Scrappage and Travel Credit Scheme ahead of the arrival of its Clean Air Zone.
The ‘Class D’ vehicle-wide Clean Air Zone launches 1 June 20201 and is the first CAZ outside London to charge polluting cars to enter; although Bath went live with its CAZ mid-March, its ‘Class C’ scheme doesn’t charge cars.
In Birmingham, drivers can now access the city council’s £10m vehicle scrappage scheme to support those hit by the CAZ. Run in partnership with Transport for West Midlands (TfWM) – part of the West Midlands Combined Authority – and car retailer Motorpoint, it’s aimed at those working in the zone and who earn less than £30,000 per annum, and provides the option of scrapping a vehicle that would otherwise be subject to the daily fee.
In return, successful applicants receive a £2,000 grant which can be used on a ‘travel credit’ – which is redeemed against public transport travel on trains, buses and the Metro – or to purchase a vehicle that meets the emission standards of the Clean Air Zone.
Councillor Waseem Zaffar, Birmingham City Council’s Cabinet Member for Transport and the Environment, said: “The Clean Air Zone will help improve air quality within our city and the Vehicle Scrappage and Travel Credit Scheme helps tackle the source of the problem by removing the most polluting vehicles from our roads. We also need to encourage more people to use public transport as an alternative to the car, especially for shorter journeys, and that is why I am particularly excited by the partnership with TfWM.”
To find out more about Birmingham’s Vehicle Scrappage and Travel Credit Scheme – including criteria and how to apply – click here.
