What you need to know about proposed ‘toxin tax’

Why might we be getting a charging zone?

Newcastle, Gateshead and North Tyneside councils were ordered by the Government in 2017 to reduce pollution in certain hotspots where nitrogen dioxide levels are above legal limits.

The hotspots in question are part of the A167 Central Motorway and Tyne Bridge, a section of the A1058 Coast Road, and stretches of the A1 past Swalwell, Whickham and Blaydon.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) says that the councils must either introduce a clean air charging zone or find alternative measures that will be equally effective in bringing down emissions levels by 2021.

Where would the charging zone be?

No final decisions have been made on what area the charging zone would cover, but the council has carried out modelling tests on a provisional area.

That would cover the centres of both Newcastle and Gateshead, stretching from the Felling Bypass, up to Gosforth in the north and out to the Coast Road in the east.

A second option for an ‘outer’ charging zone has also been considered, covering an area around the A1 and A19, but was quickly dismissed as having too little impact on city centre traffic.

What will the toll be?

This hasn’t been confirmed yet, but the councils have been conducting tests on the assumption of a £12.50 per day charge to enter the clean-air zone, increasing to a whopping £50 for buses and HGVs. That is the same level being charged in Leeds and Birmingham.

Which vehicles would be affected?

There are four different categories of clean-air zone which affect the following vehicles:

■■A – buses, coaches, and taxis

■■B – buses, coaches, taxis, and HGVs

■■C – buses, coaches, taxis, HGVs and LGVs

■■D – buses, coaches, taxis, HGVs, LGVs, cars, motorcycles, and mopeds

However, the only cars that could be hit by the charges would be diesels made pre-September 2015 and petrol cars made before January 2006. A clean-air charging zone is different to a congestion charge, which applies to all vehicles.

Will the charging zone be successful?

According to council bosses, no. The three Tyneside authorities argue that even with the strictest possible charging zone, emissions levels will not come back to within the legal limits.

They have instead asked DEFRA to pursue a series of other measures, such as greater investment in public transport and a scrappage scheme for old diesel cars, to tackle pollution.

But charging zones are Government policy and are being implemented in cities across England – so Tyneside might be forced to bring one in, regardless of whether local leaders support it or not.

When will a final decision be made?

The cabinets of Newcastle, Gateshead, and North Tyneside councils are expected to decide on their final recommendations to the Government in mid-February.

Whatever measures they decide to introduce will then be subject to a response from DEFRA and a public consultation first.

And whatever decision is taken, it must be introduced quickly enough to meet the Government’s 2021 deadline to reduce emissions levels.