The Tyne Tunnel has made headlines since switching over to a new cashless system towards the back end of last year, but the company behind the transport link has been working closely with local authorities to suggest compromises which keep road users in good stead.
And a brand-new hardship fund was proposed at last weeks full meeting of North Tyneside Council, which aims to pay the fines of those who will be hit hardest financially by the repercussions of non-compliance of the open-road tolling system implemented on November 8 2021.
Prior to the council meeting which took place last Thursday (20 January), tunnel bosses had agreed to start a fund in a bid to prevent financial hardship for those hit heaviest by unpaid toll charge notices (UTCNs).
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However, local campaigner Gary Spedding has slammed the hardship fund, demanding that executives at Tyne Tunnel 2 Limited (TT2) address his campaign and subsequent petition for an 'ethical' system for all to be implemented at the site.
Gary initially set-up his petition entitled Tyne Tunnel Fines earlier this month, and since its creation it has seen in excess of 11,500 signatures.
In the petition, he calls for TT2 Limited to cancel all UTCNs issued six months prior to 1 January 2022, as well as a litany of other changes to be made to the system.
Some other changes include the likes of increasing the 'pay later' time frame from 48 hours to five working days, reducing fines to £20 down from £60, and reviewing the current appeals process in place.
And Gary wasted no time in slamming the proposed hardship fund, labelling it not 'transparent' and 'arbitrary'.
Speaking to Chronicle Live, he said: "It's simply not good enough, and TT2 Limited haven't responded to the demands and requirements of what we're campaigning for and the petition that so many people have signed.
"The fact is that it falls very short of what we've been asking for."
He added: "We want to know what qualifies as hardship and what doesn't qualify as hardship - obviously the criteria, there's no confirmation of it what so ever.
"It's very arbitrary and it leaves us worries that this is going to just be another thing where Tyne Tunnel 2 Limited are internally making decisions about what qualifies as hardship and what doesn't.
"It's going to leave people out in the cold with unjust fines to pay.
"This announcement is massively short of what we've asked for."
However, bosses at TT2 Limited see the initiative as a positive way of helping those who are most in need.
Philip Smith, Chief Executive at TT2, said: “Transport North East and TT2 have listened to concerns about how people in financial hardship who incur penalties from not paying their toll, are supported.
“We are both keen to provide a support mechanism that will supplement the existing protections for vulnerable customers, and so are jointly working on a proposal that will be taken back to the Tyne & Wear Transport Sub Committee for consideration in due course.
“More details will be available at that time.”
Although the motion proposed by Conservative Councillor Liam Bones was down-voted 28 to 9 by a Labour dominated authority, a number of councillors believed that the hardship fund is essential.
One of whom, deputy Mayor Councillor Carl Johnson, spoke of the importance of the fund going forward, insisting it is a positive step in the right direction for motorists in the local community.
Cllr Johnson said: "We should absolutely introduce a hardship fund.
“What this hardship fund is that anyone who goes through the tunnel and gets a penalty and can’t afford to pay will get that fine written off - if they can show it will cause them financial hardship.
“We ensure that all cases are reviewed carefully and sensitively.
"A number of first time offenders have had fines removed.”
And despite complaints from a few road users, TT2's cashless system has also displayed positives since its implementation - revealing last week that emissions were cut by 90 per cent in their first month of open-road tolling.
