CLEAN AIR ZONE CHARGES COST UK VAN DRIVERS ALMOST £800 PER YEAR, PEUGEOT RESEARCH REVEALS

New research by PEUGEOT* has revealed that UK van drivers are spending an average of £780 per year (£65 per month) on fees and penalty charges for driving into Low Emission and Clean Air Zones.

London van drivers are bearing the biggest financial burden, spending an average of £99 per month, equivalent to almost £1,200 per year, followed by those in the Tyneside Clean Air Zone, which covers Newcastle and Gateshead, who spend on average £82 per month (£984 per year). Both London and Tyneside charge the same higher daily entry fee of £12.50, versus the £8 to £10 daily charge applied in the remaining Clean Air Zones operating in England.

Unsurprisingly, van drivers in Wales, which does not currently operate any Low Emission or Clean Air Zones, paid out the least in charges and fees (£37 per month on average). Van drivers in Scotland, which operates Low Emission Zones (LEZs) in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Dundee and Aberdeen, spend £39 each month on average. Scotland does not use a daily fee system and instead places a ban on drivers of non-compliant vehicles entering the zones, with fines issued to any that do.

There are currently 14 Low Emission Zones, Clean Air Zones or Zero Emission Zones across the UK, including the London ULEZ and LEZ. Nine of these zones charge non-compliant petrol and diesel vehicles an entry fee, with Penalty Charge Notices issued to drivers who fail to pay the daily charge.

PEUGEOT’s research highlights how significant these charges have become for commercial van drivers, with the cost of driving into Low Emission and Clean Air Zones exceeding the £632 per year (over £52 per month) that van drivers spend on parking and related fines on average.

Van drivers also spend more on Clean Air Zone charges than they do on servicing, repairs and MOTs, with maintenance costs coming to £715 per year on average. Insurance premiums are also lower, with an average cost of £626 per year.

Despite Low Emission and Clean Air Zone charges representing a substantial outgoing for UK van drivers, fuel was found to be the biggest expense, costing on average £176 per month (£2,112 a year). The research also revealed food and drink when at work adds an average of £88 to commercial van drivers’ monthly expenditure (£1,056 per year).

Steve Wass, Managing Director, PEUGEOT UK, said: “With rising fuel and living costs, our research highlights how much commercial van drivers face in terms of annual expenditure. For those regularly driving into Clean Air Zones, the cost of running a non-compliant van can add up, proving there has never been a better time to switch to cleaner and more sustainable transportation. PEUGEOT is committed to helping businesses make that transition by offering fully electric van models like the E-PARTNER, E-EXPERT and E-BOXER, available on monthly finance deals that match their diesel equivalents.”

Based on Freedom of Information requests issued to the 13 councils operating Clean Air Zones across the UK, PEUGEOT found twelve of the zones to have generated a combined revenue of nearly £1.5 billion pounds since launch up to 31^st March 2026.**

August 29th marks the third anniversary of the London ULEZ expansion, which in 2023 saw the boundary increase from inner London to encompass all 32 Greater London boroughs. Since the launch of the London ULEZ and LEZ, both zones have generated a combined total revenue of over £1.2 billion pounds.

PEUGEOT’s research also found that 66% of van drivers surveyed said their van meets the emissions standards required to enter Low Emission and Clean Air Zones*** (rising to 80% in London), while 15% say their van does not. Surprisingly, 19% were unsure whether their van meets the criteria, suggesting a significant proportion of drivers may not be clear on the emissions requirements affecting their journeys.

PEUGEOT offers the widest electric vehicle line-up of any mainstream European brand, including a fully electric version of every van model in its line-up. This includes the compact E-PARTNER (manufactured in the UK at Ellesmere Port), the mid-size E-EXPERT and the large E-BOXER, ensuring businesses wishing to protect themselves against future emissions standards can choose a model that is right for them.

For those not ready to make the switch to electric, all of PEUGEOT’s diesel van models are compliant with the latest Euro 6E BIS emissions standards, giving van drivers complete choice and helping to reduce running costs.

Average running costs for commercial van drivers*

Annual cost for van drivers entering Clean Air Zones in non-compliant vehicles on a daily basis

Income generated by UK Clean Air Zones**

ENDS

*Survey of 1,000 UK commercial van drivers conducted by OnePoll, July 2026

**PEUGEOT issued a Freedom of Information request to the thirteen councils/local authorities which operate Clean Air/Low Emissions Zones, requesting them to outline the amount of income generated in fees and PCNs from motorists in non-compliant vehicles entering the zone. Bristol City Council and Bath and North East Somerset Council have not yet published their 2025/26 Clean Air Zones financial report, so their figures are not included.

***typically Euro 6 for diesel and Euro 4 for petrol

ABOUT PEUGEOT

PEUGEOT offers the widest EV lineup of any European mainstream brand, covering all needs from urban cars to commercial vehicles. The French charisma, the driving sensations and the Designed to last constitute the brand values of PEUGEOT. Established in over 140 countries, PEUGEOT sold almost 1.1 million vehicles worldwide in 2024. Already the leader in electric B-segment and LCV vehicles in Europe, PEUGEOT is now offering a complete lineup of 12 models, of which nine are Passenger cars and three LCVs. PEUGEOT offers 8-year/100,000-mile PEUGEOT CARE coverage on the battery and the vehicle of all its core electric passenger cars for complete peace of mind. PEUGEOT products incorporate the latest technology, showcased by the Panoramic i-Cockpit and ChatGPT® on board across the entire range. PEUGEOT is also committed to educating younger generations by supporting initiatives, such as Born Free and Under The Pole, to bring them closer to nature. Furthermore, PEUGEOT's passion for performance and innovation is showcased through the PEUGEOT 9X8 Hypercar, which competes in the World Endurance Championship (WEC), including the 24 Hours of Le Mans.