Driving in the UK ULEZ, Congestion Charge and Clean Air Zones

London's ULEZ covers almost all of Greater London. It is not one of the seven Clean Air Zones. The Mayor of London sets its boundary and how it is run. A vehicle check for London is not done on the same service as for a Clean Air Zone.

The ULEZ charge, its hours and the steps for a foreign plate are checked on TfL. They are not set out in this guide.

A car that meets the standard of a Class D Clean Air Zone is not excused from checking the ULEZ. They are two schemes.

For London, the checker is not the one used for a Clean Air Zone. Use TfL's for the ULEZ, and gov.uk for Bath, Birmingham, Bradford, Bristol, Portsmouth, Sheffield and Tyneside.

The Congestion Charge is a London charge separate from the ULEZ. Its amount and its hours are checked on TfL.

Paying one does not pay the other.

For a Clean Air Zone, the vehicle check and the payment are done on gov.uk, before the trip or by 23:59 on the sixth day after you drive in.

For the ULEZ and the Congestion Charge, the steps for a non-UK plate are checked on TfL.

Bath is class C, Birmingham class D, Bradford class C, Bristol class D, Portsmouth class B, Sheffield class C, and Tyneside (Newcastle and Gateshead) class C. Class D is the only one that includes cars. Birmingham and Bristol are therefore the two cities where a car may have to pay.

To avoid the charge, a diesel must be at least Euro 6 and a petrol at least Euro 4. Motorcycles, where the city includes them, are Euro 3. Taxis can have a different local standard. Check the city.

The zones run 24 hours a day, all year. The charging day runs from midnight to midnight. Pay by 23:59 on the sixth day after you entered, or up to six days before. After that deadline, a penalty notice can be issued.

Check on the operator's website whether the car park is in the zone you want to avoid, and what the fare is that day. A car park in Greater London can still be inside the ULEZ.

Amanda announces speed cameras for free, about 30 seconds ahead, where the law allows it, as danger zones in France. It also gives navigation with voice guidance. With Premium, it shows parking near your destination, with walking time and fare.