Newcastle Clean Air Zone: Taxi drivers say changes make trips too costly

Newcastle, Gateshead and North Tyneside councils were all ordered by the government to cut air pollution

Taxi drivers have called for more areas to receive financial help from the Clean Air Zone (CAZ), saying they cannot afford to drive into Newcastle.

Licensed drivers travelling from Newcastle, Gateshead and North Tyneside can apply for a discounted rate of £50 a week.

But there is no support for taxi drivers outside those areas, which otherwise have to pay £12.50 a day.

Newcastle City Council said funding was limited.

One South Tyneside firm said drivers no longer wanted to drive to the city.

"We are getting no help at all and I am taking the hit because I don't want to pass the cost on to the customers", said Del Thoburn, owner of South Shields-based Del's Taxis.

"There is no help with the CAZ if you don't live in Newcastle, Gateshead, or North Tyneside. We should be treated the same as them."

The zone, which is in place across parts of Newcastle and Gateshead, came into force on 30 January.

Private cars are exempt but older taxis and lorries, buses and coaches now have to pay £12.50 a day.

Concerns over the impact on South Tyneside were raised at the North East Joint Transport Committee last week, reports the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

South Tyneside Taxis Ltd said: "We have drivers here who don't want to take a job in Newcastle now.

"They can't afford to pay the £12.50 and you can't charge the customer for it because, at the end of the day, they just won't want to go to Newcastle if it costs them £12.50 extra".

The zone covers most of the city centre, including the Tyne, Swing, High Level and Redheugh bridges

In response, the authority, which is in charge of the CAZ, said funding was limited and it had to concentrate its financial support towards those most heavily affected - businesses who had no choice but to operate in the zone and those most likely to make regular journeys into it.

A spokesperson for the Newcastle and Gateshead Clean Air Zone said: "This is aimed at ensuring support is given to those who need it most but, once these applications have been dealt with and subject to funding availability, we will look at inviting grant applications from other areas."

The CAZ was introduced in response to a government order to cut emissions levels in certain hotspots. The council said more than 300 deaths on Tyneside were linked to poor air quality every year.