The latest delay to Newcastle’s proposed Clean Air Zone pollution tolls has felt almost inevitable for some time.
To those who have followed the saga over the controversial charges for years now, it has been clear that there was little to no realistic prospect of them coming into force as planned in July. No warning signs had been put up to inform motorists, no cameras were installed to allow the toll system to function, and no grants were on offer to help people upgrade to cleaner vehicles after the Government took six months to ultimately reject a council request for extra funding.
Undoubtedly, the drivers and businesses who faced the prospect of having to pay either £12.50 or £50 per day to drive into Newcastle city centre will be utterly relieved to hear that the CAZ in on hold for now – particularly at a time when the nation is in the grip of a cost of living crisis. There remain significant questions over just when it will finally be introduced, having initially been slated for January 2021, and how it can be operated without pushing small traders towards financial ruin.
