Cash grants to help drivers upgrade high-polluting vehicles and dodge new tolls in Newcastle city centre will be launched next week.
Council bosses have finally confirmed details of long-awaited financial support that will be on offer for motorists who will face heavy daily charges under a Clean Air Zone (CAZ) due to come into force early in 2023. Tolls of up to £50 per day for some older, high-emission vehicles to enter the city centre will begin on January 30, though all private cars will be exempt.
Taxi drivers and owners of vans, buses, coaches, and HGVs that do not meet the CAZ’s environmental standards have now been urged to apply quickly for grants worth up to £16,000 to help them install upgrades or buy newer, cleaner models. Applications will open next Monday, November 21, for grants – and Tyneside transport chiefs have pledged that anyone who applies for funding will be made exempt from the CAZ tolls while they are waiting to get their replacement vehicle.
Read More: Newcastle Clean Air Zone explained - Where it is, when tolls start, and who has to pay
Non-compliant lorries, buses and coaches will be hit with £50-a-day tolls when the CAZ is active, while the worst polluting vans and taxis will be charged £12.50 per day. Most of the charges begin on January 30 next year, but the van tolls have been delayed to July 2023. Private cars, motorbikes and low emissions vehicles will not be charged.
Announcing details of the grants on Tuesday, Newcastle and Gateshead councils confirmed that grants of up to £3,500 will be available for taxi and private hire vehicles – or £4,000 if the vehicle is wheelchair accessible. Funding for taxi upgrades will be prioritised for those licensed in Newcastle, Gateshead and North Tyneside - with applications from South Tyneside, Sunderland, Northumberland and County Durham only considered at a later date if there is funding available.
Van owners will be offered up to £4,500 towards the cost of a replacement vehicle, while grants for bus, coach and HGV upgrades have been set at £16,000. Details of how to apply will be published at breathe-cleanair.com.
Coun Jane Byrne, cabinet member for transport at Newcastle City Council, said: “The Clean Air Zone is being implemented to improve our air quality, protect our health and clean up our environment. Even though we can’t see pollution, we know that it’s there and we know it’s harmful to people, especially those with existing health conditions and those who spend a lot of time exposed to emissions while driving and sitting in traffic.
“We encourage anyone who is eligible to take advantage of the funding and support available to upgrade their vehicle and help us clean up our air.”
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Warning signs and cameras for the CAZ were recently installed around the city centre, though no tolls are currently being charged. Originally, the CAZ was supposed to come into force in January 2021, but was pushed back amid delays caused by a High Court battle and the Covid-19 pandemic.
It was then expected to start in July this year, before being pushed back again amid concerns over the financial impact it could have on struggling residents and small businesses in the middle of a cost of living crisis. You can check if your vehicle is compliant or not by entering your registration number at gov.uk/clean-air-zones.
Coun John McElroy, Gateshead Council’s transport chief, added: “Throughout this process we’ve been clear that improving air quality for the good of people’s health has been our main priority. We’ve also been keen to ensure that those directly affected get the maximum financial support possible to help them upgrade to a cleaner vehicle so that they can reduce their emissions and avoid having to pay CAZ charges.”
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