Sheffield City Council has announced that it will stop issuing new Green Parking Permits from July 31, marking the end of the scheme after nearly 20 years in operation.

The decision was formally approved by the council’s Transport, Regeneration and Climate Policy Committee on April 30, which also confirmed that existing permits will not be renewed beyond the end of July.

Launched in 2005, the Green Parking Permit scheme aimed to incentivise the use of cleaner vehicles in a bid to improve local air quality. The program offered free parking in council-run pay and display bays, both on and off streets in the city centre for qualifying Ultra Low Emission Vehicles.

However, council officials said the landscape has shifted significantly in recent years. The increase in electric and low-emission vehicles has had a huge effect on the rates of pollution in city spaces.

According to a council report, demand for the permits has grown sharply. In the 2024/25 financial year, 5,802 unique permits were issued – more than triple the 1,644 issued just two years earlier.

This surge prompted a review of the scheme in the context of broader transport and environmental goals. With the intended effect of higher investment in low emission and electric vehicles, and in public transport, the need for the scheme was questioned.

Furthermore, the scheme has achieved such goals as promoting active travel through walking, running, and cycling, whilst supporting air quality and road safety improvements.

Despite the removal of this program, the council reaffirmed its commitment to zero-emission transport through alternative, more targeted measures, including £125,000 allocation to improve electric vehicle charging infrastructure and to reduce access barriers to EV ownership.