What is the Newcastle and Gateshead Clean Air Zone?
Cameras check the vehicles entering the zone. If you drive an older taxi, van, lorry, bus or coach into Newcastle city centre, check if you need to pay before you set off.
What you need to know
It's a daily charge. You can drive in and out multiple times per day, for one single payment.
From £12.50 a day
From £12.50 a dayFor taxis, minibuses and vans that don't meet the emission standards. HGVs, lorries, buses and coaches pay £50.
£120 fine
£120 fineIf you don't pay the charge. It's reduced to £60 if you pay the fine within 14 days.
Exemptions
ExemptionsPrivate cars and motorcycles don't pay. Ultra low emission, historic, military and disabled tax class vehicles are exempt automatically, while some local exemptions need an application to Newcastle City Council.
"Reducing the number of older, more polluting vehicles on our roads is one way that we can help to improve our air quality and protect our health." Councillor John McElroy, cabinet member for the environment and transport at Gateshead Council
The CAZ encourages people driving older, more polluting vehicles to upgrade to cleaner models.
Charging for non-compliant taxis, private hire vehicles, buses, coaches and HGVs started on 30 January 2023. Non-compliant vans and LGVs were given until July 2023, to allow extra time for replacements during a national vehicle supply shortage.
Vehicles that pay
Private cars and motorcycles don't pay. Commercial and private hire vehicles don't pay if they meet these emission standards:
- Taxis: Euro 6 for diesel (typically after September 2015), Euro 4 for petrol (typically after 2005)
- Vans and LGVs: Euro 6 for diesel (typically after September 2016), Euro 4 for petrol (typically after January 2006)
- HGVs, buses and coaches: Euro VI (typically after 2014)
Taxis, minibuses and vans that don't meet the standards pay £12.50 a day. HGVs, trucks, lorries, coaches and buses pay £50 a day.
Charges apply daily, so you only pay once however many times you enter and leave the zone that day. If you drive in the zone across two days, for example before and after midnight, you'll need to pay two daily charges.
Exemptions
National exemptions
These are set by the government, apply to all Clean Air Zones and are automatic:
- Disabled tax class or disabled passenger tax class vehicles
- Certain types of agricultural vehicles
- Historic vehicles
- Military vehicles
- Ultra low emission vehicles
- Vehicles retrofitted with technology accredited by the Clean Vehicle Retrofit Accreditation Scheme (CVRAS)
Local exemptions
These are set by the council. You need to apply for them through the Newcastle City Council website. Permanent local exemptions cover:
- Emergency vehicles, such as police vehicles, fire engines, ambulances, health service vehicles and mine rescue and lifeboat vehicles
- Agricultural and similar vehicles, such as tractors, mowing machines, snow ploughs, gritters, road rollers and mobile cranes
- Showmen's Guild vehicles
- Non-commercial vintage buses
- Motor caravans
- Bus and HGV training vehicles
Other local exemptions were time-limited. They covered vehicles awaiting retrofit or replacement, financed taxis and commercial vehicles, vehicles registered to businesses in the zone, community transport, wheelchair accessible taxis and resident vehicles, mostly for one or two years from the start of the zone. Short-term exemptions can also apply to emergency rail replacement vehicles.
Newcastle CAZ FAQs
What is the Newcastle and Gateshead Clean Air Zone?
The CAZ will see commercial and private-hire non-compliant vehicles charged a daily fee to enter the zone. You can read more about the charge on our Newcastle CAZ page.
Are there any discounts and exemptions?
There are quite a few exemptions to the charge. You can find a full list of the categories exempt from the charge on our Newcastle CAZ page. National exemptions will be applied automatically. However, any local exemptions must be applied for via the Newcastle City Council website.
Is there any support available?
If your vehicle doesn't meet the standards, you can apply for government-funded grants to help replace or upgrade it through the Newcastle City Council website:
- Taxis, including Hackney carriages and private hire vehicles: up to £3,500
- Wheelchair accessible taxis, including Hackney carriages and private hire vehicles: up to £4,000
- Light goods vehicles: up to £4,500
- Heavy goods vehicles: up to £16,000
- Buses and coaches: up to £16,000
The funding can go towards a compliant vehicle, new or second hand, to replace one that doesn't meet Euro 6 diesel or Euro 4 petrol standards.
What happens if I pay for the wrong day?
If you’ve paid for the wrong day, unfortunately we aren’t able to offer you a refund. Caura doesn’t take any of the money for your payment and once it’s made, it goes straight to the end provider. We’re unable to recover funds so we aren’t able to offer a refund.
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