I have to sell my house after being fined while driving into the Clean Air Zone without realizing it – it’s a joke
A DRIVER fears he will have to sell his home after being fined for driving unnoticed into a clean air zone.
Henry Franklin, 36, of Bristol, believed his engine complied with council rules as he drove into the city’s CAZ area up to 30 times last month.
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But now he faces fines of over £4,000 – as well as the cost of fuel-guzzling detours to avoid the CAZ or an expensive new car.
The total cost could force the motorist to sell their home or move to a new job.
Henry, who did not reveal the make of his car, told BristolLive: “I live paycheck to paycheck. If all these fines are upheld I’ll have to pay around £4,000.
“It will certainly mean selling my car and quitting my job. It will probably also mean that I have to sell and leave Bristol.”
He added: “I was angry, frustrated and tired when I realized I was going to be fined.
“This new system is confusing for a number of reasons. I don’t understand why they chose the area they have for the CAZ other than to generate a lot of fines.”
Henry criticized the council for only sending out its fines after the six-day grace period, adding that the “much longer” route it had to travel was worse for the environment.
He said: “I was frustrated because I was buying a new car to get into a new job and despite my best efforts the council have designed a system that is difficult to understand.
“However, I hasten to add that I have appealed every PCN I have had to date, but the Council has not yet acted on them.”
Bristol City Council said it was looking into the case and Henry’s appeals.
It comes after a driver who is set to be charged £12.50 a day under new Clean Air Zone rules was revealed how he got revenge on Jobsworth road bosses.
Engin Coban, 48, from London, now walks around with a number plate on his back, deliberately tricking them into handing out fines.
He hopes the bogus fines being issued by the record will overwhelm the system and force bosses to shut it down.
What is a Clean Air Zone – and is there one near you?
A CLEAN Air Zone is an area in several UK cities where you have to pay a fee to drive an polluting vehicle.
The types of vehicles subject to tolls vary from city to city, but petrol and diesel engines are often covered.
Drivers who fail to pay the fee before entering the Clean Air Zone could face a costly fine.
Electric, hydrogen and most hybrid cars are exempt from the tax.
Clean Air Zones are currently located in these UK cities:
- bath
- Birmingham
- Bradford
- Bristol
- derbies
- London
- Manchester
- leeds
- leicester
- newcastle
- nottingham
- Portsmouth
- Sheffield
- southampton
https://www.the-sun.com/motors/7700286/i-have-to-sell-home/ I have to sell my house after being fined while driving into the Clean Air Zone without realizing it – it’s a joke
