Cameras are being installed ahead of Portsmouth’s Clean Air Zone

Portsmouth City Council is working with contractors to install 39 cameras that recognise number plates ahead of the Clean Air Zone (CAZ) launch in November. 

The cameras will only check vehicle number plates and will point in a fixed direction towards the traffic. This information will be used to check whether a vehicle needs to pay the CAZ charge. 

The most polluting ‘non-compliant’ vehicles will be charged daily for driving in the zone. These non-compliant vehicles include heavy goods vehicles (HGVs), buses, coaches, taxis and private hire vehicles.

Non-compliant taxis and private hire vehicles will be charged £10 a day to drive through the zone, and non-compliant HGVs, buses and coaches will be charged £50 a day.

The council has said that installing the cameras now will ensure that they are tested and working correctly before the zone launches in full.

It will also provide the council with an opportunity to send out letters to drivers ahead of the CAZ coming into operation. This will raise awareness of the zone, and let drivers of older more polluting vehicles know that their vehicle could be charged. 

Cllr Dave Ashmore, the cabinet member for community safety and environment, said: ‘I want to reassure residents in the zone that these cameras will only be used to operate the clean air zone that the government says we have to have to tackle air pollution in the city.

‘I hope the letters we send out ahead of the zone going live will help businesses and residents prepare for the changes ahead.’

The public can see a map of exact camera locations, check their vehicle registration number to see if they will be charged, and find more information about the Clean Air Zone at www.cleanerairportsmouth.co.uk.

Photo by Collins Lesulie