Bradford Residents Light Commercial Vehicle (LCV) customer guidance notes

Thank you for showing an interest in the Bradford Residents Light Commercial Vehicle (LCV) clean air zone grants scheme.

To assist you the following notes are to explain the application process.

Please find a sample copy of the grant terms and conditions: Clean Air Residents LCV Programme Terms and conditions (PDF)

We recommend that you read and understand the terms and conditions of this scheme.

The purpose of the Bradford Residents LCV Clean Air Zone Grant Scheme is for either:

• Assistance with the cost of a replacement of a Light Commercial Vehicle operating in Bradford which is not compliant with the Bradford Clean Air Zone standards with a CAZ compliant light commercial vehicle.

OR

• Assistance with the cost of fitment of CVRAS approved retrofit technology to a Light Commercial Vehicle operating in Bradford which is not compliant with the Bradford Clean Air Zone standards.

OR

• Assistance with the running cost of a fully electric (EV) Light Commercial Vehicle which is a replacement of a Light Commercial Vehicle operating in Bradford which is not compliant with the Bradford Clean Air Zone standards.

By Light Commercial Vehicle we mean either:

Light Goods Vehicles:

• A ‘N1’ class light goods vehicle with 4 or more wheels used for the carriage of goods and having a Design Gross Weight not exceeding 3,500kg; or
• a fully electric light goods vehicle which are less than 4,250 kilograms (kg) gross vehicle weight, have CO2 emissions of less than 50g/km and can travel at least 96km (60 miles) without any emissions at all.

Minibus:

• a ‘M2’ vehicle class minibus A vehicle with 4 or more wheels used for the carriage of passengers, with more than 8 passenger seats in addition to the driver’s seat and a maximum Design Gross Weight not exceeding 5,000kg; or
• a ‘M2’ fully electric minibus which must have CO2 emissions of less than 50g/km and can travel at least 112km (70 miles) without any emissions at all.

Motor Caravan:

• a ‘L’ class vehicle, other than class ‘M1’ motor caravan. that either:
• falls within the definition of a “special vehicle” in paragraph 4(2)(bb) of Schedule 1 to the Vehicle Excise and Registration Act 1994;

OR

• is a vehicle of any Class other than M1 registered with a body type of ‘Motor Caravan’;

OR

• a fully electric motor caravan vehicle other than M1 class with body type of ‘Motor Caravan’ which are less than 4,250 kilograms (kg) gross vehicle weight, have CO2 emissions of less than 50g/km and can travel at least 96km (60 miles) without any emissions at all.

The LCV grant application process

There is a limited number of grants available. Applications will be considered strictly in the date/time order in which the applications are received. Supporting evidence will be required to assess your eligibility for a grant, (full details are further down this page).

Each application is for a grant to replace/upgrade one vehicle only.

Where an applicant wishes to apply for more than one vehicle, a separate application will be needed for each vehicle.  

The evidence required for the assessment of your application will be

For your non-compliant vehicle:

• First three pages of the vehicle V5c document (also known as the logbook) which must be in the name of the applicant and registered at the applicant’s Bradford residential address.
• Vehicle insurance which shows that the vehicle is insured by the applicant from the applicant’s Bradford residential address.

Please note, your non-compliant vehicle must be in use ‘on the road’ i.e. the vehicle must be insured, taxed and have a valid MOT.

For the applicant:

• Proof of identity
  • Driving License – registered at the applicant’s Bradford residential address.
• Proof of residence
  • A Council Tax bill (if applicable) or a utility bill in the applicant’s name. This bill should be no more than 3 months old and show that the applicant has been liable for the account both at the time of issue and prior to 14 June 2023. Where this cannot be evidenced in 1 bill, more than 1 bill can be provided.

The assessment process

On receipt of an application, we will check that all information has been received to make an initial decision about your eligibility for a grant. Where more evidence/information is needed, we will request this by email.

If you are eligible, we will email you with an agreement in principle. The agreement in principle will advise that you are eligible for a grant of up to £4,500 subject to certain conditions.

These conditions are:

• For the purchase of retrofit upgrades to an existing vehicle
  • The retrofit solution is CVRAS approved
  • The business/person fitting the retrofit solution is also CVRAS approved
  • The work is certified and registered with CVRAS and the DVLA
  • The vehicle is compliant with the Bradford Clean Air Zone vehicle standards
• For the purchase of replacement vehicles (not fully electric vehicles)
  • The replacement vehicle must be compliant with the Bradford Clean Air Zone vehicle standards.
• For the purchase or long term lease, of a fully electric LCV
• The replacement EV must be owned by the applicant or on a long term lease in the applicant’s name which must be for a minimum of 2 years in length.

Once an agreement in principle has been sent to an applicant, the applicant must provide one of the following within 2 months of the date the agreement in principle has been sent:

• Proof of purchase of a compliant vehicle or CVRAS approved retrofit upgrade

OR

• Proof of purchase or long-term lease (minimum 2 years) of a fully electric vehicle

OR

• Proof of order from the supplier, with an expected date of delivery of a compliant vehicle or CVRAS approved retrofit upgrade.

This 2 month’ deadline cannot be extended in any circumstances. If you are unable to provide either of the above within this timescale the agreement in principle will be withdrawn and you will not be eligible for a grant.

On receipt of proof of order or purchase

Where proof of a purchase has been received, you will also be required to provide the following:

• A copy of the first three pages of the V5c for the compliant vehicle.
• Proof that the original non-compliant vehicle is no longer owned by the applicant.
• Proof of sale/trade-in/scrappage of the non-compliant vehicle (if applicable)

Payment of the grant

On receipt of the above documents you will be sent the full grant terms and conditions which must be signed and returned.

Once the signed terms and conditions have been returned, the grant will be paid by bank transfer to your nominated bank account.

Grant funding will be calculated net of sale or trade-in value of the non-compliant vehicle. Where the stated cost of the replacement or upgrade vehicle is deemed excessive, or the sale or trade in value of the non-compliant vehicle is too low, Bradford Council reserves the right in its sole discretion to amend these values to reflect market value.

After the grant has been awarded

For 2 years following the date of the Grant Agreement:

• The Grant Recipient must retain ownership of the compliant vehicle.
• The Grant Recipient and compliant vehicle must remain registered to an address within the Bradford District.
• The compliant vehicle must be maintained to ensure the vehicle continues to meet Clean Air Zone emissions standards.
• The compliant vehicle must be kept ‘on the road’, i.e., the vehicle must be insured and taxed and MOT’d (if applicable) by the grant recipient.
• The Grant Recipient agrees to provide evidence of compliance where requested.

The Grant Recipient must inform the Bradford Council Representative immediately of any change which would cause a breach of the terms and conditions.

A sample of the grant terms and conditions can be found here Clean Air Residents LCV Programme Terms and conditions (PDF)