Revised Newcastle and Gateshead clean air plans unveiled

Revised plans for a clean air toll on Tyneside have been unveiled after previously announced proposals met with thousands of objections.

Newcastle, Gateshead and North Tyneside councils had suggested a £12.50 daily fee for high-polluting vehicles as well as charging drivers up to £3.40 to cross bridges over the River Tyne.

New options include a reduced Clean Air Zone (CAZ) and a delay on introducing charges for private cars.

Opponents called tolls a "stealth tax".

The options are:

The councils have not stated the fees in their latest submission, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Newcastle City Council's cabinet member for transport and air quality, Arlene Ainsley, said the authorities were looking at improving public transport and how to "protect low income households from the impact of charging".

The area of the proposed CAZ has been reduced following public objections and no longer includes the centre of Gateshead or Gosforth and Wallsend.

The councils amended their proposals after more than 19,000 people provided feedback.

Some residents said they viewed tolls as "financially wounding stealth tax, targeting those on the lowest incomes with non-compliant vehicles, making unavoidable journeys to work".

However, the authorities said they must comply with a government order to cut air pollution by 2021.

Final proposals will be submitted to the government in November.