Motorists hit with more than 9.6 million emissions zone fines as MotorEasy warns drivers are still getting caught out

A Freedom of Information (FOI) Request by vehicle ownership expert, MotorEasy, has revealed the scale of Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) issued to drivers contravening emissions zones across UK cities. More than 9.6 million PCNs have been issued across just three cities[i] since emissions zone fines started in 2019.

Posted on Oct 05, 2026

According to MotorEasy’s FOI request, thousands of motorists are being fined again and again for entering Clean Air Zones (CAZs), with more than 300,000 repeat offences[ii] recorded. Whether drivers are deliberately flouting the rules or genuinely confused by them, is unclear.

CAZs and Low Emission Zones (LEZ) are continually being introduced across UK cities to improve air quality by addressing pollution for better public health outcomes. And the move appears to be having a positive impact, with new research suggesting that London’s ULEZ is reversing pollution damage to children’s lungs[iii].

Comments Duncan McClure Fisher, CEO of Intelligent Motoring and the founder of MotorEasy, “It’s really encouraging to see robust studies highlighting the positive health benefits of LEZs. However, with eight emission zones currently operating in England, alongside schemes in Scotland, and each authority setting its own rules, it is easy for motorists to get caught out when travelling to a new city and face an unexpected fine.”

As well as the London Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) there are clean air zones in Bath, Bradford, Birmingham, Bristol, Newcastle and Gateshead, Portsmouth and Sheffield. MotorEasy says there are two different types of Clean Air and Low Emission Zones, non-charging and charging. In a charging zone, drivers pay a fee to enter the area if their vehicle does not meet the emissions standards for that zone. Added to this, there are four classes of CAZs which exempt various vehicles, with these determined by the local authority that implements it.

MotorEasy urges drivers to take five minutes to use the Government’s online vehicle checker before heading out, to get the information they need to avoid a fine. Simply enter your vehicle registration number to find out if there’s a daily charge to drive in a specific Clean Air Zone. If motorists are driving in London, they should use the TfL vehicle checker instead, meanwhile drivers in Scotland can visit Low Emissions Zones Scotland.

Duncan McClure Fisher says, “With different demands placed on varying infrastructure across UK cities, it is sensible that emissions zones are operated at a regional level. However, there’s no doubt that the different CAZ rules do lead to confusion, with drivers often hit with a £120 fine before they’ve even parked. So, it’s vital to do your homework before you leave home and always remember, if you’ve just replaced your vehicle to check the emission zone requirements for your home city too, as your new vehicle may not fit into the same CAZ category.”

[i] Bradford 2022-2026, Portsmouth 2021-2026, London 2019-2026

[ii] Sheffield -  31,455 repeat offences from 2023-2025, Portsmouth – 2374 repeat offences from 2021 to 2026, Birmingham – 269,793 repeat offences from 2021-2026

[iii] https://www.qmul.ac.uk/news/latest-news/2026/queen-mary-news/pr/introduction-of-londons-ultra-low-emission-zone-linked-to-improved-lung-growth-in-children--.html