Sheffield taxi driver complains after receiving eight Clean Air Zone penalty notices when he was exempt

Abdul Raheem asked a question at a meeting of Sheffield City Council (September 6) and criticised council departments for not working together better to avoid the situation.

Mr Raheem told councillors: “I recently received eight PCN notices while my vehicle was exempt. I then received a letter that they are all cancelled.

“Two departments are not working well together. They need to save paper and save the trees. If we want clean air we need to protect the trees.”

Coun Ben Miskell, chair of the council’s transport, regeneration and climate policy committee, responded: “Following investigations, the PCNs have of course been cancelled as you’ve mentioned.

“I apologise that the PCNs were issued whilst your vehicles were exempt. A few other taxi drivers have reported these issues as well and I am working with them.”

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Taxis licensed with the council whose vehicles did not meet emissions rules were exempt from the charge until midnight on June 4.

The CAZ was brought in for mainly commercial vehicles travelling around the city centre, including the inner ring road.

The Sheffield CAZ has now been running for just over six months, with the aim of improving air quality in the city centre by imposing a daily charge on non-compliant vehicles.

The issue has proved highly controversial, with protests held in the city and many small businesses including taxi drivers complaining that it would put a huge strain on them.