Bath and North East Somerset Council introduces emission-based parking charges
September 06, 2023 by Jamie Edkins
Car changing is a big deal
Bath and North East Somerset (BANES) Council will be introducing emissions-based parking charges in council-owned car parks from 8 September 2023. Read on for all you need to know.
Drivers of vehicles with higher emissions will have to pay a premium to park in car parks owned by BANES Council from 8 September 2023, in a bid to encourage drivers of high-polluting cars to use public transport when visiting Bath city centre.
Unlike London’s ULEZ, which bases a vehicle’s compliance on Euro emission standards, BANES Council will be basing tariffs on the same bands the DVLA uses for vehicle excise duty.
Drivers of non-diesel vehicles which emit less than 131g/km of CO2 will only have to pay the standard rate to park, while those who own diesel cars, or petrol models which emit more than 131g/km of CO2, will have to pay an additional fee.
Motorists can check their vehicle’s emissions on the Government website, however you do not need to know their engine size or emissions when using a car park. The system will use your car’s number plate to calculate the parking charges.
Car park users will be able to use an app to pay for parking, however the option to pay using cash or card at a terminal will also remain.
A summary of the new parking charges for non-diesel vehicles in the table below, which includes the current prices and the new price depending on emissions:
| Length of stay | Current rate | New rate: 0-130g/km |
New rate: 131-150g/km |
New rate: 151-170g/km |
New rate: 171-190g/km |
New rate: 191-225g/km |
New rate: 226-255g/km |
New rate: Over 255g/km |
| 1 hour | £1.70 | £1.70 | £1.80 | £1.80 | £1.90 | £1.90 | £2 | £2 |
| 2 hours | £3.40 | £3.40 | £3.50 | £3.60 | £3.70 | £3.80 | £3.90 | £4 |
| 3 hours | £5.10 | £5.10 | £5.30 | £5.40 | £5.50 | £5.70 | £5.80 | £6 |
| 4 hours | £6.80 | £6.80 | £7 | £7.20 | £7.40 | £7.60 | £7.70 | £7.90 |
| 6 hours | £10.20 | £10.20 | £10.50 | £10.80 | £11 | £11.30 | £11.60 | £11.90 |
| 8 hours | £13.60 | £13.60 | £14.00 | £14.30 | £14.70 | £15.10 | £15.40 | £15.80 |
| 24 hours | £17.10 | £17.10 | £17.60 | £18 | £18.50 | £18.90 | £19.40 | £19.90 |
| Evening charge (Charlotte Street car park) 6pm-8pm |
£1.50 | £1.50 | £1.60 | £1.60 | £1.70 | £1.70 | £1.70 | £1.80 |
| Overnight charge: 8pm-8am |
£1.50 | £1.50 | £1.60 | £1.60 | £1.70 | £1.70 | £1.70 | £1.80 |
The price for diesel vehicles will go up even more. A summary of the new tariffs is in the table below:
| Length of stay | Current rate | New rate: 0-130g/km |
New rate: 131-150g/km |
New rate: 151-170g/km |
New rate: 171-190g/km |
New rate: 191-225g/km |
New rate: 226-255g/km |
New rate: Over 255g/km |
| 1 hour | £1.70 | £2.20 | £2.30 | £2.30 | £2.40 | £2.40 | £2.50 | £2.50 |
| 2 hours | £3.40 | £3.90 | £4.00 | £4.10 | £4.20 | £4.30 | £4.40 | £4.50 |
| 3 hours | £5.10 | £5.60 | £5.80 | £5.90 | £6.00 | £6.20 | £6.30 | £6.50 |
| 4 hours | £6.80 | £7.30 | £7.50 | £7.70 | £7.90 | £8.10 | £8.20 | £8.40 |
| 6 hours | £10.20 | £11.20 | £11.50 | £11.80 | £12 | £12.30 | £12.60 | £12.90 |
| 8 hours | £13.60 | £14.60 | £15.00 | £15.30 | £15.70 | £16.10 | £16.40 | £16.80 |
| 24 hours | £17.10 | £18.10 | £18.60 | £19 | £19.50 | £19.90 | £20.40 | £20.90 |
| Evening charge (Charlotte Street car park) 6pm-8pm |
£1.50 | £2.00 | £2.10 | £2.10 | £2.20 | £2.20 | £2.20 | £2.30 |
| Overnight charge: 8pm-8am |
£1.50 | £2.50 | £2.60 | £2.60 | £2.70 | £2.70 | £2.70 | £2.80 |
The emission-based charging structure will also be applied to season ticket holders, however existing season ticket holders won’t see an increase for a 12-month period. Parking at one of the council’s three Park and Ride sites will remain free for those using the bus service.
Commenting on the new emissions-based parking charges, Cabinet Member for Transport Councillor Manda Rigby said: “Prices won’t change for a lot of drivers, these new charges will only affect people bringing more polluting vehicles into our city.
“Our overall aim is to improve public safety by improving air quality and reducing congestion and I’d like to thank all that took part in the consultation and shared their views with us.
“Air pollution currently causes up to 36,000 deaths in the UK each year and the consultation responses show residents are concerned about the air quality in Bath, which these changes will help improve.”
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