Birmingham Clean Air Zone Phase 2: New Charges and Boundary Changes

Q: Why has Birmingham expanded the Clean Air Zone to the outer ring road today?

As of May 21, 2026 , Phase 2 is designed to tackle stagnant nitrogen dioxide levels in high-density residential corridors outside the city center. While Phase 1 focused on the immediate city core, this expansion aims for a 12% reduction in NO2 by targeting the 15,000 older, higher-emission vehicles that circulate through the A4540 Middleway and surrounding outskirts daily.

Q: How do I check my car's compliance and pay the new daily charge?

You should check your vehicle's Euro emission standard (usually found in your V5C logbook); petrol cars must be Euro 4+ (approx. 2006) and diesels must be Euro 6+ (approx. 2015) to drive for free. If your vehicle is non-compliant, you must pay the £8 daily fee via the official government payment portal within a strict 13-day window : six days before travel, the day of travel, or six days after. Failure to do so triggers an automatic £120 Penalty Charge Notice (PCN).

Simon Fletcher Author 2026-05-21 09:50 4 min read

A busy city road with a Clean Air Charging Zone sign and overhead enforcement cameras.

Contents

Useful details
Vehicle Compliance and Daily Charges
Boundary Changes and Environmental Impact
Accessing the Compliance Checker
Frequently Asked Questions

Birmingham’s Clean Air Zone (CAZ) has officially entered its Phase 2 expansion today, May 21, 2026. The updated boundary now encompasses the outer ring road, requiring drivers of older, higher-emission vehicles to pay a daily fee to enter the zone. This expansion is part of a Birmingham City Council initiative to lower nitrogen dioxide levels by an additional 12% in residential areas located on the city’s outskirts.

Useful details

Effective Date: May 21, 2026
Daily Charge: £8 for non-compliant cars, taxis, and LGVs
New Boundary: Includes the A4540 Middleway and surrounding residential outskirts
Grant Deadline: Business transition support applications close at 11:59 PM tonight

Vehicle Compliance and Daily Charges

The Phase 2 expansion maintains the existing fee structure but applies it to a significantly larger geographic area. Compliance is determined by the vehicle’s Euro emission standard rather than its age, though general cut-off dates apply for most manufacturers.

Vehicle Category	Minimum Standard	Daily Fee
Petrol Cars & Vans	Euro 4 (approx. 2006+)	£0
Diesel Cars & Vans	Euro 6 (approx. 2015+)	£0
Non-Compliant Vehicles	Pre-Euro 4/6	£8
Heavy Goods Vehicles	Euro VI	£50

Drivers of non-compliant vehicles must pay the charge within a 13-day window: six days before the day of travel, on the day of travel, or six days after. Failure to pay results in a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) of £120, reduced to £60 if paid within 14 days.

Boundary Changes and Environmental Impact

The Phase 2 boundary now extends beyond the city center to the outer ring road. This shift targets high-traffic residential corridors where air quality has historically lagged behind the city center’s improvements. According to Department for Transport data, the expansion is expected to remove approximately 15,000 older vehicles from daily circulation within the first year.

Local businesses operating fleets within the new boundary have until the end of today to submit final applications for transition grants. These funds are designed to help small businesses upgrade to electric or Euro 6-compliant vehicles.

Accessing the Compliance Checker

Commuters are advised to verify their vehicle status using the official government vehicle checker before entering the outer ring road. Residents living within the new boundary may be eligible for a temporary one-year exemption, provided they applied before today’s rollout.

Payments can be made via the Birmingham City Council CAZ portal or the national Clean Air Zone payment service. Signage across the A4540 Middleway has been updated to reflect the new zone entry points.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why has Birmingham expanded the Clean Air Zone to the outer ring road today?

As of May 21, 2026, Phase 2 is designed to tackle stagnant nitrogen dioxide levels in high-density residential corridors outside the city center. While Phase 1 focused on the immediate city core, this expansion aims for a 12% reduction in NO2 by targeting the 15,000 older, higher-emission vehicles that circulate through the A4540 Middleway and surrounding outskirts daily.

How do I check my car’s compliance and pay the new daily charge?

You should check your vehicle’s Euro emission standard (usually found in your V5C logbook); petrol cars must be Euro 4+ (approx. 2006) and diesels must be Euro 6+ (approx. 2015) to drive for free. If your vehicle is non-compliant, you must pay the £8 daily fee via the official government payment portal within a strict 13-day window: six days before travel, the day of travel, or six days after. Failure to do so triggers an automatic £120 Penalty Charge Notice (PCN).

Is there any financial support left for local businesses impacted by Phase 2?

Yes, but you must act immediately. The application window for business transition support grants closes at 11:59 PM tonight, May 21, 2026. These grants are intended to help local firms upgrade to compliant fleets or install EV charging infrastructure to offset the daily £8 or £50 charges introduced by the boundary expansion.

What happens if I accidentally enter the new boundary without paying?

If the CAZ cameras capture your non-compliant registration and no payment is recorded within the 13-day window, you will receive a £120 fine. To settle this effectively, pay the fine within 14 days of issue to reduce the cost to £60. To avoid future errors, drivers are encouraged to view the updated boundary maps on the Birmingham City Council website and set up ‘Auto Pay’ if they are regular commuters across the Middleway.

Source: Birmingham City Council