Tolls for high-polluting vans to drive through Newcastle’s Clean Air Zone (CAZ) will start in two months, city bosses have confirmed.
Drivers of vans and light goods vehicles have been urged to check now whether they will have to pay when the £12.50-per-day toll comes into force on Monday, July 17. The CAZ has been operational since the end of January, with older buses, coaches, lorries, and taxis being charged to enter Newcastle city centre if they do not meet national emissions standards.
Van drivers were initially granted a reprieve from the tolls, on the grounds that supply chain problems were making it hard for motorists to upgrade to newer, cleaner models. Concern had also been raised about the impact that the daily fees will have on small and independent businesses using vans to transport produce in and out of Newcastle, particularly during a cost of living crisis.
But Newcastle City Council has now confirmed that the next phase of the CAZ will begin in July. All private cars will remain exempt from the tolls, though it is possible that could change in the future if it is decided that tougher action is needed to reduce pollution.
Businesses registered within the CAZ area are also eligible for a two-year exemption for up to two of their vehicles. The CAZ has been introduced in response to a Government order for local councils to cut illegal emissions levels, with poor air quality having been linked to more than 300 premature deaths every year on Tyneside.
Labour councillor Jane Byrne, the city council’s cabinet member responsible for transport and air quality, 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.”
To avoid being charged to enter the CAZ, vehicles must have a Euro 6 diesel or a Euro 4 petrol engine. You can check if your vehicle is compliant at www.gov.uk/clean-air-zones.
The council said it will be sending out warning notices via the DVLA to van owners who it knows will have to pay a toll, after their registration numbers were logged by the CAZ’s cameras during recent monitoring.
Grants of up to £4,500 to help upgrade to a cleaner van or LGV are being made available and anyone who applies will be made exempt from the CAZ tolls while going through that process. The Local Democracy Reporting Service recently revealed that only 52 upgrade grants were actually issued in the first five months since they were first launched last November.
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