Nottingham 2026: Robin Hood's Caves, No Clean-Air Charge
Nottingham, United Kingdom · CAZ
Nottingham achieved its clean-air targets through measures aimed at buses and taxis rather than charging private cars, so for visitors the considerations are parking and driving on the left. Nottingham — the East Midlands city famous for the legend of Robin Hood, with a castle, a sandstone bedrock honeycombed with hundreds of man-made caves, a lace-making heritage and a lively centre — has good trams and a walkable core. Park in a garage and explore.
Can your car enter Nottingham?
Nottingham met its clean-air targets through cleaner buses rather than charging private cars, so the main adjustments here are parking and driving on the left. The city’s sandstone bedrock is honeycombed with man-made caves, some open to visitors beneath a shopping centre and the historic Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem pub. Its NET tram network and a walkable centre around the Old Market Square make parking once and exploring on foot the easiest plan.
This page covers driving around Nottingham. For the clean-air status, see the Nottingham CAZ details.
Left-hand driving, park and tram
Private cars aren’t charged (check current rules). Drive on the left, roundabouts clockwise. Park in a central garage or a NET tram park-and-ride and ride in to the Old Market Square, the castle and the caves. UK urban limit 30 mph (48 km/h).
When the car helps
Keep it for Sherwood Forest and the Major Oak, the Dukeries stately homes and the Peak District — driven from a central garage or park-and-ride.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Nottingham reached its clean-air goals through investment in cleaner buses and other measures, rather than introducing a charging Clean Air Zone for private cars. So private cars are not charged to drive in the city. Schemes can change, so check current local rules before travelling, but for most visitors the practical considerations are parking, congestion and driving on the left.
On the left, as throughout the UK. For overseas visitors that's the main adjustment, along with roundabouts taken clockwise. Rental cars are right-hand drive. Nottingham's compact centre, the market square and the castle area are walkable, and the city has a good tram network (NET), so many visitors park and use trams and walking rather than driving in the centre.
Nottingham is built on soft sandstone, and over the centuries hundreds of artificial caves were dug beneath the city, used as cellars, tanneries, malt kilns, dwellings and air-raid shelters, making it the city with the most man-made caves in Britain. Several are open to visitors, including the City of Caves attraction beneath a shopping centre and the cellars of the historic Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem pub (claiming to be one of England's oldest). Exploring the caves is a unique Nottingham experience, on foot in the centre.
Use a multi-storey car park in the centre or a park-and-ride on the tram network and ride in. Nottingham's NET tram network is good and reaches the centre and the suburbs. The compact centre around the Old Market Square, the castle and the Lace Market is walkable. Parking once and using the tram or walking is the easy way around, with private cars not charged anyway.
Not for the city — the compact centre, the trams and walking cover it. A car helps for exploring beyond — Sherwood Forest (of Robin Hood fame) and the Major Oak, the stately homes of the Dukeries, and the Peak District a little further — driven from a central garage or park-and-ride. Remember to drive on the left.
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