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Chronicle Live
Chronicle Live
National
Simon Meechan

Easy way to check if you have to pay Newcastle Clean Air Zone charge

Newcastle will introduce a Clean Air Zone toll that charges drivers of high polluting vehicles a toll to drive in parts of the city centre and on bridges to Gateshead.

But unlike London's congestion charge, motorists driving their own private vehicles in Newcastle City Centre will not have to pay a fee of £12.50 - £50 to drive in the Clean Air Zone.

"The Tyneside Clean Air Zone does not apply to cars (other than taxis/private hire vehicles) or motorbikes," reads the Clean Air Zone website created by Newcastle and Gateshead's councils."

It adds: "The Tyneside Category C Clean Air Zone (CAZ) only applies to buses, coaches, taxis, private hire vehicles, heavy goods vehicles and light goods vehicles that do not meet national CAZ emissions requirements."

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Taxis, private hire vehicles, buses, coaches and heavy goods vehicles (HGVs) will be subject to the charge from January 30, 2023, but only if they do not meet minimum emissions standards. Vans and light goods vehicles that do not meet emissions standards will be subject to the tolls from July 2023.

In general, if you are a taxi, bus, or haulage driver and have a newer vehicle, you will not need to pay the charge.

For the most part, diesel taxis registered before 2015 are unlikely to meet the emission standards, along with petrol taxis registered before 2001. Drivers of those vehicles are likely to have to pay the charge.

Drivers of diesel vans registered before 2016 and petrol vans before January 2006 are likely to have to pay the charge as are HGVs, buses and coaches registered before 2014.

Various exemptions will apply too. For example, wheelchair-accessible taxis/private hire vehicles are not subject to the charge and neither are agricultural vehicles.

If you are confused - and you may be as many private cars are used for work like takeaway delivery - there is an easy way to check if you will have to pay.

Enter your vehicle's number on https://www.gov.uk/clean-air-zones and it will show you if you have to pay to drive it in clean air zones around England.

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