Drivers warned not to fall for Newcastle Clean Air Zone payment scams
Drivers are being urged not to use third-party websites to pay Clean Air Zone charges as many people are being left out of pocket.
People driving in and out of Newcastle are being warned not to fall for Clean Air Zone payment scams or third party sites - as we could be left out of pocket.
Newcastle and Gateshead Clean Air Zone charges apply to certain taxis, vans, buses, coaches and HGVs if they don’t meet the national emissions requirements.
Privately owned cars are not affected, yet many car owners who don’t need to pay are still being charged after using unofficial payment sites.
The official website will only accept a payment from those who are required to pay and, unlike third-party sites, will not charge an additional fee on top of the CAZ charge.
The charges for entering the Newcastle and Gateshead CAZ are £12.50 or £50 per day, depending on the type of non-compliant vehicle.
And for those who do need to pay, using the official website is the only way to be certain that a payment has been received. In a number of cases drivers have paid via third-party sites but the money has not been passed on.
Cllr Alex Hay, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Neighbourhood Services at Newcastle City Council, said: “We are seeing an increasing number of drivers making payments through unofficial, third-party websites only to find that their payments haven’t been passed on or that they didn’t need to pay in the first place.
“This is leaving drivers out of pocket, unable to claim a refund and, in some cases, with a Penalty Charge Notice, even though they believed they had paid correctly.
“Despite previous warnings about these websites, many people are still using them and this is clearly a matter of concern.
“I would like to reiterate that people should only use the official Clean Air Zone website both to check their vehicle and to make a payment if required to do so.”
Further advice on how to pay a CAZ charge can be found on the Newcastle and Gateshead CAZ website.