Clean Air Zones


Businesses are being given grants to support with the transition. That should help with the financial aspects to some degree.

The solution is definitely not making driving even easier. You will induce demand and end up back at square one. That is good for no one in the medium to long term. This isn't a scheme pulled out of thin air, plenty of consideration and modelling has gone into it.

Really what is needed is proper investment from central government in public transport to increase frequencies and routes on the bus and Metro network, with more priority given to buses to increase their reliability and reduce journey times. People need legitimate alternatives to driving.

Disagree with the middle paragraph. I do think a short-term sticking plaster is needed and I don't think much thought has gone into this at all in the rush to comply with the government mandated policy. Someone driving through the central motorway at 8pm on a clear road is barely creating any carbon output but will pay the same as a car sat in queuing traffic on a Monday morning at 8am. Gosforth High Street is polluted but considered not in the CAZ. Not sure how this can be defended if its truly about clean air. If its a congestion charge then call it what it is and then let the public decide at local election time.

Agree with most of the last paragraph, albeit so long as the busses are not relying on ICE.
 
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Disagree with the middle paragraph. I do think a short-term sticking plaster is needed and I don't think much thought has gone into this at all in the rush to comply with the government mandated policy. Someone driving through the central motorway at 8pm on a clear road is barely creating any carbon output but will pay the same as a car sat in queuing traffic on a Monday morning at 8am. Gosforth High Street is polluted but considered not in the CAZ. Not sure how this can be defended if its truly about clean air. If its a congestion charge then call it what it is and then let the public decide at local election time.

Agree with most of the last paragraph, albeit so long as the busses are not relying on ICE.
No one in a private car will pay anything though. This is aimed at lorries, vans and bizarrely, buses.
 
i presume because those are all predominantly diesel engines? i would hope those go-ahead voltra electric buses arent included.
Yeah they'll be exempt as they meet the standards.
Can't see that lasting that long really, can you? It's only a matter of time I reckon, I hope I'm wrong though. 🫤
Give it 5 years and it'll be all vehicles I suspect. Even still, most are exempt, your car has to be particularly polluting for you to be liable to pay.
 
No one in a private car will pay anything though. This is aimed at lorries, vans and bizarrely, buses.

Give it 5 years and it'll be all vehicles I suspect. Even still, most are exempt, your car has to be particularly polluting for you to be liable to pay.

I know a few folk who use courier vans as their private motors, so it will effect some people day to day. And as you say in 5 years time it will be all vehicles. Look at the recent changes to Londons ULEZ.
 
I know a few folk who use courier vans as their private motors, so it will effect some people day to day. And as you say in 5 years time it will be all vehicles. Look at the recent changes to Londons ULEZ.
London's was always private cars, they've just expanded the scope of it to cover everywhere, not just inner London.

ICE vehicles are being incrementally phased out, that's just the reality of the situation.
 
Most cars are exempt certainly if they are petrol... It's the diesels that have been hammered..

Yeah I guess so, there was a canny few leccy cars as well including us but really busy in general. I expected to just swan in and get parked up and not sit in traffic for 20 minutes for 300 yards.
 
What’s the crack with these? My cars a 10 year old petrol, assumed it would be liable in these zones.
Some EV drivers have free charging points at their place of work. Now they'll be exempt from certain road charges. As the cost of an EV is out of range for the majority it certainly seems like perks for the rich.
 
Some EV drivers have free charging points at their place of work. Now they'll be exempt from certain road charges. As the cost of an EV is out of range for the majority it certainly seems like perks for the rich.
Rich man’s play thing
People strategising about how they charge their ev’s has become the new bar room bore chat
 
Noticed the signs are up on the way into Newcastle. Can't help but think it's a total money making scheme, which surely will dry up once everyone moves over to leccy cars in 10 yrs time or so. It'll be interesting to see whether they'll suddenly come up with some wank excuse to then charge all cars going into city centres. 🫤

Electric cars will definitely need charging.
 
Used an air bnb in brum 3 weeks back mind n she said check your car is withing regs before entering inner city!?

Ah - Birmingham and Bristol have changed from class C to class D which now includes cars. All depends now on how old the car is and if it meets Euro 4 emission standard (petrol) or Euro 6 standards (Diesel) The rest are either future (bands not confirmed yet) or class C/B/A which don't include cars
 
It's a massive scam, just a blatant tax not even a stealth tax. They wanted to charge every vehicle but it was voted down which is why it's just lorries taxis buses. The location funnily enough covers every crossing direct into Newcastle and doesn't include many residential areas so the argument about clean air for residents is bollocks
 
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almost as if they're the most widely used routes in the area? presume whitehall just put a pin in the map in reality though.
They sold it as improving air quality in residential zones then placed the Caz in the city centre commercial area and covered all the major routes in and out.
 
So where are the park and ride schemes that run frequently and well into the evenings to encourage people to leave their cars outside of the city. Where is the extension to the Metro to take in Washington, Chester-le-Street ad Durham to take a fair few cars off the roads??

We need cheap, clean, regular, safe and efficient public transport if these schemes are to work.
 

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