The idea of ditching tolls on high-polluting vehicles under a proposed Clean Air Zone (CAZ) in Newcastle seems “too good to be true”, the city’s new council leader says.
Some motorists will be charged up to £50 per day to drive into the city centre under the emissions-cutting project, though the charging zone has been postponed for now. But recent debate has raised the prospect of removing all fees associated with the scheme, amid fears that they could have a devastating impact on residents and businesses already struggling with a cost of living crisis.
After a public backlash over similar plans in Greater Manchester, mayor Andy Burnham proposed dropping the tolls entirely – in favour of a system that monitors pollution levels and offers incentives to upgrade to newer, cleaner vehicles. The government has rejected that notion and instead suggested that Greater Manchester cuts the size of its huge charging zone by 95% or more, effectively making it a city centre-only charge like Newcastle's plans, though Mr Burnham says local leaders will “oppose this and continue to argue for a non-charging CAZ”.
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