Exciting plans to remove toll barriers from the Tyne Tunnel look set to go ahead after councillors agreed to kickstart the project.
Tunnel operator TT2 says drivers are "overwhelmingly" in favour of replacing the toll booths on the north side of the river with new number plate recognition cameras, a move that could cut queues at the busy crossing dramatically.
North East Joint Transport Committee members on Thursday gave their backing for combined authority officials to formally start talks with TT2 about delivering the £80m project.
It was also revealed that a planned toll increase at the tunnel has been delayed by a month.
TT2 customer operations manager, Chris Ward, told the body's Tyne and Wear sub-committee: "We are pleased to see that the committee has approved preliminary discussions between ourselves and NECA regarding the introduction of the Tyne Pass Project.
"Although it is still a long way off, we continue to listen to and act on our customers' feedback, which overwhelmingly supports a barrierless system.
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"The new system, combined with our roadwork improvements, will eventually mean a far more convenient journey for drivers using the tunnels."
Though Advanced Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras have already been installed at the tunnel crossing to allow drivers with pre-paid permits to pass straight through the barriers, TT2 wants to make further upgrades that would see the barriers removed completely.
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Once the new system is operational, any drivers without a permit displayed will have their number plate recognised by cameras and be able to pay later online.
Coun Joyce McCarty, deputy leader of Newcastle City Council, urged TT2 to make sure that people without bank accounts, and therefore unable to pay online, would still be able to use the tunnel.
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Mr Ward said that drivers will be able to pay in cash at PayPoint locations as well as at the TT2 offices, which they believe is "a good solution for the cash payer".
The charge to use the tunnel was expected to go up this month - increasing by 10p from £1.70 to £1.80 for cars and LGVs and by 20p, from £3.40 to £3.60, for HGVs.
However, councillors were told that it will now be mid-May before drivers see the price hike come into force due to a delay from the Department for Transport.
A new phone app enabling Tyne Tunnel users to pay for their permit on their phones and view traffic alerts is also about to launch.
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