Newcastle clean air zone launches | Non-compliant vans charged from July

Non-compliant taxis, buses, coaches and HGVs will face charges to drive into Newcastle’s clean air zone from Monday (January 30).

Non-compliant buses, coaches and HGVs will be charged £50 per day, while non-compliant taxi and private hire vehicles will be charged £12.50 per day.

Cars are not affected by the CAZ and do not have to pay any charges.

Non-compliant vans will have to pay £12.50 per day but not until July.

These charges have been delayed due to national vehicle supply chain issues that are making it difficult for owners and small businesses to obtain compliant vehicles.

Cllr Jane Byrne, cabinet member for a connected, clean city at Newcastle City Council, said: “We are reminding the owners and operators of HGVs, buses, coaches and taxis to check whether they are affected.

“Responsibility for paying a CAZ charge rests with you so it’s really important to check whether your vehicle is compliant and whether your route is within the zone.”

Petrol vehicles will need to Euro 4 and diesel vehicles Euro 6 to avoid the £12.50 daily charge for taxis and vans, and £50 fee for coaches, buses and trucks to enter the zone.

People can check whether their vehicle will be charged and, if they do need to pay they can also make a payment, using the national clean air zone website.

Payment can also be made by telephone on 0300 029 8888. The lines are open Monday to Friday between 8am and 7pm and on Saturday from 8am until 2pm.

Payments can be made any time from six days before a journey, on the day of travel or by 11:59pm on the sixth day after driving in the zone. If a charge is not paid drivers may receive a penalty charge notice (PCN).

Affected drivers are encouraged to also be aware of whether their journey takes them within the clean air zone boundary so that they know whether they need to pay.

The zone covers most of Newcastle city centre as well as routes across the Tyne, Swing, High Level and Redheugh bridges.

Road signs with the Clean Air logo mark all the entrances to the CAZ and further signs are in place in all directions, to warn drivers on approaching routes.

There is also an interactive map of the clean air zone available online so that people can check before they travel. This can be found at www.breathe-cleanair.com/map.

Cllr John McElroy, cabinet member for the environment and transport at Gateshead Council, said: “There are a number of ways people can check both their vehicle and their route to understand whether they will need to pay a CAZ charge.

“We don’t want to see drivers getting caught out and we encourage them to make these necessary checks.”