Are the anti-pollution plans on the right road?
LATEST VERSION OF CLEAN AIR ZONE GOES OUT TO PUBLIC CONSULTATION
Local Democracy Reporter THE people of the North East can have one last say on plans to impose controversial anti-pollution tolls in Newcastle.
A final public consultation on the proposed clean air zone (CAZ) opens today to gather views on the plan to charge the highest-polluting vehicles up to £50 per day to drive into the city centre.
The toll zone, designed to tackle dangerous and illegal levels of air pollution by 2021, would enforce £50-a-day fees on high-polluting coaches, buses, and lorries – as well as a £12.50 charge on taxis and vans that do not meet emissions standards.
Private cars are being made exempt from the charges for now.
Council bosses on Tyneside are also asking the public for their views on the prospect of reducing general traffic on the Tyne Bridge to one lane in each direction.
Also included the six-week consultation are possible grants of up to £16,000 to help people affected by the tolls upgrade their vehicles, new delivery hubs for goods vehicles outside the city, and changes on the Central Motorway to prevent traffic from merging on and off the slip road between the New Bridge Street and 55 Degrees North junctions.
Coun Arlene Ainsley, cabinet member for transport and air quality at Newcastle City Council, said: “We are setting out tough measures to clean up the air we breathe and help tackle climate change.
“We are also outlining ways in which we could offer support to people affected by the clean air zone charges. We’re keen to hear from people so that we can ensure the support we put in place, in the form of financial help and practical solutions, is effective.
“This will be subject to Government funding so it is important that we get feedback from the public.”
Consultation was due to start by the end of September, but was delayed for legal advice, meaning the authorities will not submit their final plans by November 12, as ministers had ordered them to.
The plans have been watered down after a backlash earlier this year, with the CAZ area no longer including Jesmond, Sandyford, Gosforth, the Royal Victoria Infirmary and parts of Gateshead and the Coast Road. The six-week consultation opens at noon at www. breathe-cleanair.com.