The Tyneside zone launched on 30 January 2023 and began charging vans on 17 July 2023. It covers most of Newcastle city centre and four of the Tyne bridges, which is why so many drivers from Gateshead and beyond end up in it. Private cars and motorbikes are not charged.
Where it applies
Most of Newcastle city centre, plus the routes over the Tyne, Swing, High Level and Redheugh bridges. There are 38 cameras and 43 entry signs.
When it applies
24 hours a day. A day runs midnight to midnight, so entering at 23:50 and leaving at 00:10 is two days.
What it costs
| Vehicle | Charge |
|---|---|
| Private cars and motorbikes | No charge |
| Taxis and private hire vehicles | £12.50 a day, or £50 for 7 days if licensed by Newcastle, Gateshead or North Tyneside |
| Vans, LGVs and minibuses | £12.50 a day |
| Buses, coaches and HGVs | £50 a day |
Paying: By the end of the 6th day after travelling. Pay or check on GOV.UK. Check your vehicle: GOV.UK vehicle checker.
Exemptions, discounts and permits
- Local exemptions by application: emergency vehicles, agricultural and recovery vehicles, Showmen's Guild vehicles, non-commercial vintage buses, motor caravans, bus and HGV training vehicles, vehicles awaiting retrofit or replacement (up to a year), and same-day emergency rail replacement buses.
- Taxis and PHVs are charged even when used privately.
How to challenge the penalty
You challenge by making written representations to Newcastle City Council and Gateshead Council within 28 days of the date of service. A notice sent first class is treated as served on the second working day after posting (fourth working day for second class, tenth if posted abroad), unless you can prove otherwise (reg 3(4)).The authority must reply within 56 days or your representations are treated as accepted.
These are the grounds the law allows, under the Road User Charging Schemes (Penalty Charges, Adjudication and Enforcement) (England) Regulations 2013 (SI 2013/1783):
| Ground | When it fits | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| I was never the registered keeper | The vehicle has never been registered to you, for example the notice went to the wrong person or the plate was misread. | reg 8(3)(a)(i) |
| I had sold or transferred the vehicle before that date | You had already sold, scrapped or transferred the vehicle before the date on the notice. | reg 8(3)(a)(ii) and 8(5) |
| I became the keeper after that date | You bought the vehicle after the date of the journey on the notice. | reg 8(3)(a)(iii) and 8(6) |
| The vehicle was taken or used without my consent | The vehicle was stolen, or someone used it without your permission, including cloned plates. | reg 8(3)(b) and 8(7) |
| We are a hire firm and the vehicle was on hire | You are a vehicle-hire or lease firm and the hirer signed a statement accepting liability for these charges. | reg 8(3)(c), 6(5) and 8(8) |
| The charge was paid in time and in the right way | You paid the charge for that vehicle and that day within the payment window. | reg 8(3)(d) |
| No charge or penalty was payable | The vehicle meets the emission standard, is exempt or had an approved exemption or discount, did not enter the zone, or the crossing was outside charging hours. | reg 8(3)(e) |
| The penalty is more than the scheme allows | The notice demands more than the scheme's penalty amount, or refuses the discount you paid within time. | reg 8(3)(f) |
| The authority did not follow the rules | For example the notice is missing information the regulations require, a charge certificate came before it was allowed, or your representations were not answered within 56 days. | reg 8(3)(g) and 8(4); 56-day rule in reg 8(9)–(10) |
| There are compelling reasons to cancel | None of the grounds fits but there is a strong reason, such as a medical emergency, a signed diversion through the zone, or a payment system failure you can show. | reg 8(1)(b); adjudicator may recommend cancellation, reg 11(9) |
You can ask the authority to cancel for "compelling reasons" even when no ground applies (reg 8(1)(b)). The tribunal cannot cancel for that reason alone, but it can recommend cancellation and the authority must reply within 35 days (reg 11(9)–(14)).
Challenge online: official page. By post: CAZ Team, Newcastle City Council, 7th Floor, Civic Centre, Barras Bridge, Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 8QH.
- PCN references begin NA. The date of service is printed on the notice: the second working day after posting.
- The councils say they do not normally accept: sat nav directed you, only in the zone for seconds, visiting an address in the zone, got lost, or did not see the signs.
- No phone appeals.
If the authority says no
It sends a notice of rejection. You then have 28 days to appeal to the Traffic Penalty Tribunal, or to pay. See our guide to appealing to the tribunal.
Diversions and breakdowns
If the enforcement team knows about an unplanned diversion and you had no choice but to enter, the councils say the charge will be waived. For planned works the cameras are set to waive charges on the designated diversion route. A breakdown is different: borrowing a non-compliant replacement vehicle still means paying the charge.
Worked example
A van crosses the Tyne Bridge on 2 March and the £12.50 is not paid by 8 March. The PCN asks for £132.50; paid within 14 days of service it is £72.50.
Can I challenge this charge? Free check
Free. Your answers stay on this device. Nothing is sent to us.
Letters for Newcastle & Gateshead CAZ
Built from your checker answers, with the right grounds and regulation numbers for your scheme. You see the start of the letter before you pay, then edit it and download it as Word or PDF.
Representation letter
Your formal challenge to the authority, citing each ground that fits with its regulation number, the evidence you enclose and a request to cancel.
Start my letterFull pack
The representation, a tribunal appeal statement, replies at the charge certificate and debt registration stages, witness statement and out-of-time wording, and a bailiff fee check.
Start the full packOne penalty per purchase, usable for 6 months. Full refund within 14 days if you haven't downloaded a letter. Templates you send yourself, not legal advice. See sample letters
Questions people ask
Is the Tyne Bridge in the zone?
Yes. Routes over the Tyne, Swing, High Level and Redheugh bridges are inside the zone.
Is this the same as the Tyne Tunnel charge?
No. The Tyne Tunnels are a separate toll run by TT2, with a different penalty system.
Sources
Last checked: 13 November 2026. Every fact on this page was checked against these official pages. How we check
Road Fine Check is independent. Not affiliated with TfL, National Highways, any council or crossing operator. To pay a charge, use the official website.