Newcastle and Gateshead Clean Air Zone van charges launch tomorrow
Newcastle City Council announced the date for the updated CAZ rules back in May
Last updated 20th Jun 2024
In what’s been called the ‘second stage’ of the clean air zone rollout, extra charges come into force from tomorrow (July 17) in Newcastle and Gateshead.
It’ll mean non-compliant vehicles will be charged a daily charge of £12.50 for entering the zone.
The CAZ came into force back in January for non-compliant taxis, buses, coaches and HGVs, but from tomorrow, it’ll apply to the older vans and light goods vehicles.
Vehicle owners who are in the process of applying for a grant to upgrade to one which is compliant with the CAZ rules will be temporarily exempt from these rules, according to the local authority back in May.
Letters have already been sent out to owners of vans and LGVs which will be impacted by the charges by the DVLA.
Cllr Jane Byrne, cabinet member for a connected, clean city at Newcastle City Council, said: “This is the second stage of the launch of the Clean Air Zone, which is in place to help tackle air pollution and protect people’s health by reducing the number of older, more polluting vehicles using our roads.
“Many drivers and business owners are already familiar with the Clean Air Zone but this will be the first time non-compliant vans and light goods vehicles will face charges.
“We’re encouraging people to check whether they are affected, find out about support and ensure they know how to pay if required to do so.”
Anyone who is in the process of applying for funding will be temporarily exempt from paying any CAZ charges until they have completed the process.
The Clean Air Zone has been introduced by Newcastle and Gateshead councils in response to a legal order from government demanding action to tackle illegal levels of pollution in certain areas.
The CAZ covers most of Newcastle city centre, including routes over the Tyne, Swing, High Level and Redheugh bridges.
Drivers who travel in a non-compliant vehicle are required to pay - and will not receive a notification to do so. You can find out advice on how to pay a CAZ charge here.
Grants of up to £4,500 to help towards the cost of replacing a non-compliant van or light goods vehicle are available, which you can find out about here.
In some circumstances temporary exemptions may also be applied, including where businesses are located within the Clean Air Zone, which you can check here.
You can use the Government's online vehicle checker to check the compliance of your vehicle on the Gov.uk website.
You can find out more about the CAZ rules on the Breathe Clean Air website and check out the map of where the CAZ covers here.
Read more:Newcastle and Gateshead clean air zone charging date for vans revealed