The Tyneside Clean Air Zone is a Road User Charging Scheme applying to certain vehicles used within a geographic area of the city centre of Newcastle and routes over the Tyne, Swing, Redheugh and High Level bridges, with the aim of reducing pollution and improving air quality. The charging authorities for the scheme arew Newcastle City Council and Gateshead Council.
Charges apply to vehicles used within the zone that have an emissions category not meeting a specified standard, though a number of exemptions and discounts apply.
The Tyneside Clean Air Zone is a ’Class C Zone’, meaning there is no charge for private cars.
Payment of the charge
Motorists can check if their vehicle's emissions mean they must pay a charge and make payment (obtain a license) to use it within the zone online at the GOV.UK Drive in a Clean Air Zone service. A telephone payment service and helpdesk is also available on 0300 029 8888 (lines open Monday to Friday, 8am to 7pm; Saturday, 8am to 2pm). Payment is not made to Newcastle or Gateshead Councils directly.
– Payment of the charge must be made for each day a non-compliant vehicle is used within the zone either up to 6 days in advance of, or by midnight on the 6th day after, using the vehicle in the zone.
– Charges apply daily, 7 days a week, 365 days a year and from midnight to midnight (for example, 2 x daily charges shoud be paid for a vehicle entering the zone at 11pm and leaving at 1am the following morning.
– Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras detect vehicles that are used in the zone.
SPACE
What if a charge is not paid on time?
If payment of the daily clean air zone charge/s is not made on time, a Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) will be sent to the Registered Keeper of the vehicle that was used within the zone. The Registered Keeper may not necessarily have been the driver at the time of the alleged contravention, but they are legally liable for the penalty charge.
A Tyneside Clean Air Zone PCN document will include details of:
- the date / time the vehicle was used within the zone and not paid for, as well as the location and a photograph of the vehicle in the zone
- the Vehicle Registration Mark and other details of the vehicle that made the zone entry
- the amount (in £) of the penalty charge and the outstanding Clean Air Zone charge that needs to be paid
- this will include a reduced / discounted rate (50% of the penalty charge amount) that applies to the penalty charge if it is paid within 14 days
The document will also include instructions on how to pay the penalty charge or make representations against it.
The Road User Charging Scheme in place, including how PCNs can be enforced by Newcastle and Gateshead Councils, is provided for and regulated by various pieces of legislation.
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