An emissions-free future – what does it look like?

In what is considered to be the world’s first zero-emissions zone, petrol and diesel vehicles are to be banned from the city centre of Oxford. In an attempt to significantly reduce air pollution in the world-renowned city, officials have stated that the ban would be introduced in stages, starting with preventing the most-polluting cars from having access to a number of streets.

To coincide with inevitable technological improvements, the bans would be extended to encompass all non-electric vehicles inside the city centre by 2035. The aim of these proposals is to reduce pollution levels such as those of nitrogen dioxide by up to three quarters, with the intention of making the city much cleaner and a lot less polluted.

Oxford is just one of eleven British cities to violate the safety limits that have been set for toxic particles such as PM10s and PM2.5s.

The city has already secured £800,000 from the government for the installation of 100 electric vehicle charging zones for residents of the city, in order to try and encourage the use of electric vehicles.

Any offenders who breach the new laws set to come into fruition in 2020 will be hit with a £60 fine. So whether you’re driving your own car, or leasing one for a while, make sure you adhere to the new plans come 2020.