Tyneside Clean Air Zone checker
Private cars are never charged on Tyneside, whatever their emissions.
Searching for a Newcastle ULEZ? Tyneside runs a Class C Clean Air Zone, and the important difference is simple: private cars and motorbikes are never charged in it.
The Tyneside zone at a glance
The scheme, the area and the money, verified against the official sources.
| Scheme | Tyneside Clean Air Zone (Newcastle and Gateshead) |
| Type | Class C (does not charge cars) |
| Private cars charged? | No |
| Hours | 24 hours a day, every day |
| Area | Most of Newcastle city centre plus the Tyne, Swing, High Level and Redheugh bridges into Gateshead. |
| How to pay | Charged vehicles pay via the gov.uk Clean Air Zone service, within 6 days of the journey. |
| Penalty | £120, reduced to £60 if paid within 14 days (charged vehicles only) |
Who pays what in Tyneside
| Vehicle | Charge |
|---|---|
| Private cars and motorcycles | Never charged |
| Non-compliant taxis, private hire and vans | £12.50 a day |
| Non-compliant lorries, buses and coaches | £50 a day |
Exemptions and discounts
- All private cars and motorcycles (never charged)
- Historic vehicles and vehicles in the disabled tax class
- Approved retrofitted vehicles (CVRAS)
The local vehicle-upgrade grant scheme has closed; its final application deadline was January 2026.
Official source: Official gov.uk checker and payment. Zone rules change when authorities vote, so check before a journey that matters.
Figures last checked against the official source on . Check the source yourself.
Tyneside zone: common questions
Is my car compliant in Tyneside?
The standards are the same as every UK zone: petrol cars need Euro 4 (broadly, first registered from 2006) and diesels need Euro 6 (broadly, from September 2015). Fully electric cars always comply. Use the checker on this page for an instant estimate.
Do cars pay to drive in Tyneside?
Private cars are never charged on Tyneside, whatever their emissions. The zone's charges fall on commercial traffic: taxis, buses, lorries and (in some zones) vans that miss the standard.
Where does the Tyneside Clean Air Zone (Newcastle and Gateshead) cover?
Most of Newcastle city centre plus the Tyne, Swing, High Level and Redheugh bridges into Gateshead. It operates 24 hours a day, every day.
What happens if the rules are broken?
The penalty is £120, reduced to £60 if paid within 14 days (charged vehicles only). Cameras read every plate entering the zone, so an unpaid charge turns into a penalty automatically.
Other UK zones
Every city has its own rules; check before you travel.
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