The Newcastle Clean Air Zone: what it means for your next car

The Newcastle Clean Air Zone charges non-compliant drivers. Find out if this will affect your next vehicle purchase.



Over the last few years, cities across the UK have introduced clean air zones. These are areas where the most polluting vehicles are either banned from entering or charged for driving in the zone. The aim is to improve air quality in built-up areas.

The Newcastle and Gateshead Clean Air Zone (CAZ) is one such scheme. It covers most of Newcastle city centre and routes across the Tyne, Swing, High Level and Redheugh bridges.

The CAZ charges older, more polluting taxis, vans, buses, coaches and HGVs. Privately owned cars and motorbikes are exempt.

If you're looking to buy a car for private use, there are no restrictions on what you can buy for use in the Newcastle CAZ. However, there are other incentives for buying a less polluting vehicle.

But what if you're looking to buy a car to use as a taxi or private hire vehicle in the CAZ? In this case, you must be sure it complies with regulations.

What charges apply in the Newcastle CAZ?

The CAZ operates 24 hours a day. Each charge lasts one day, meaning you can drive in and out as much as you like once the fee has been paid.

Non-compliant buses, coaches, HGVs are charged £50 a day. Non-compliant taxis, private hire vehicles, vans and minibuses cost £12.50 a day.

How to know if you need to pay

Before driving your car in the Newcastle CAZ, you can check eligibility on the government's vehicle checker.

If your vehicle is eligible for a fee, you can pay it:

• Up to six days in advance
• On the day of travel
• Up to six days after the day of travel

If you don't pay, you'll be issued a penalty charge notice (PCN) of up to £120.

Payments can be made online via the government's Clean Air Zones Service or over the phone.

Unfortunately, scammers have seen their opportunity to profit from CAZ charges. For this reason, you should be careful not to use unofficial or third-party websites.

These will often charge you more than necessary or keep the money for themselves.



Who is exempt from Newcastle CAZ charges?

If you're a private motorist or motorcyclist, you don't need to worry about paying CAZ charges in Newcastle or Gateshead.

If you're driving your vehicle for business and your business is based within the zone, you may be eligible for exemptions. There are also vehicle upgrade grants available to help you replace a non-compliant vehicle.

I'm a taxi driver: what kind of car can I drive in the Newcastle CAZ?

If you're driving a taxi or private hire vehicle in the CAZ, you need to meet emission standards to avoid paying the daily non-compliance charges.

Fully electric and zero-emission vehicles are fine. Diesel cars are compliant when they're "Euro 6" and petrol cars are compliant when they're "Euro 4".

Most diesel taxis registered from September 2015 are Euro 6 and most petrol taxis registered from 2006 onwards are Euro 4 or better.

If you drive a non-compliant car in the CAZ, you must pay £12.50 a day when driving in the zone.

Five cars a taxi driver can drive in the Newcastle CAZ

Luckily for taxi drivers, there are many taxi-worthy cars that meet the CAZ compliance requirements. Here are five of the best.

1. Toyota Prius (petrol hybrid – most models from 2009 on)

This is a stalwart of the roads with excellent fuel economy and passenger comfort.

It's a common choice for taxi drivers.

2. Toyota Corolla Touring Sports Hybrid (petrol hybrid – all UK models)

This is an economical vehicle with plenty of luggage space.

3. Skoda Octavia (Euro 6 diesel or petrol – diesel models from 2015 on)

The Octavia is comfortable for passengers and provides ample boot space.

4. Kia Niro Hybrid (petrol hybrid – all UK models)

This vehicle provides good fuel economy with a higher driving position that lets you see over traffic.

5. LEVC TX (range-extender electric – all models)

The LEVC TX is a purpose-built electric taxi with wheelchair accessibility. It was designed as a taxi for use in London's ultra low emission zone (ULEZ) but is now driven in other cities.

At the time of writing, all of the vehicles above are compliant with the Newcastle CAZ. However, you should always check with the government website and your local licensing authority's taxi regulations before getting behind the wheel.

I'm a private motorist: what kind of car can I drive?

As a private motorist, you can drive any kind of car in the Newcastle CAZ without paying charges. This includes older diesel cars, older petrol cars, hybrid cars and electric cars.

What are the boundaries of the Newcastle Clean Air Zone?

The Newcastle CAZ includes most of Newcastle City Centre as well as routes over the Tyne, Swing, High Level and Redheugh bridges. For more information, see the official maps.

What other cities in the UK have Clean Air Zones?

Other clean air zones in the UK include London's ultra low emission zone (ULEZ) and class D zones in Birmingham and Bristol city centres. There are class C zones in Bath, Bradford and Sheffield.

Glasgow has a low emission zone (LEZ) where non-compliant vehicles are prohibited but not charged. Oxford has a zero emission zone (ZEZ) in the city centre and Portsmouth has a class B zone.

More LEZs are planned in Scotland. Meanwhile in Greater Manchester, an investment-led plan has been approved to upgrade vehicles and improve infrastructure without charging motorists.

How we can help

If you're a taxi driver in Newcastle or the North East and want to buy a low- or no-emission car on credit, we can help.

At Zoomo, we have a huge stock of used cars for sale in Newcastle. All meet RAC Approved Dealer standards and the AA Cars Standard, so you can have confidence that you're getting a smooth runner. Plus, with flexible finance options, you can spread the cost to suit your budget.

To get started, browse our fleet of used cars today.