Driving in Newcastle 2026: Class C Clean Air Zone, Cars Free

Newcastle’s Clean Air Zone is a Class C scheme, which means privately owned cars are not affected, even on the Tyne bridges. The charge falls on non-compliant taxis, private hire vehicles and vans at GBP 12.50 a day and on buses, coaches and HGVs at GBP 50. For a visitor in a car, the adjustments are driving on the left and finding a place to park.

This page covers driving around Newcastle. For the zone classes, boundary and payment rules, see the Newcastle CAZ details.

The zone and the bridges

The zone covers most of the city centre plus the Tyne, Swing, High Level and Redheugh bridges, so a chargeable van crossing to Gateshead pays even without stopping. Charges must be paid within six days of the journey; the penalty is GBP 120 plus the charge, cut to GBP 60 if paid within 14 days. None of this applies to a private car.

Park and walk

Drive on the left and take roundabouts clockwise; the urban limit is 30 mph unless signed. Park in a city-centre car park or use the Tyne and Wear Metro, which reaches the airport and the coast. The Quayside, the Gateshead Millennium Bridge, BALTIC and The Glasshouse concert venue across the river, and the Georgian streets of Grainger Town are best on foot.

When the car helps

Keep it for Northumberland: Hadrian’s Wall to the west, Bamburgh on the coast and Alnwick inland.

Sources

• Breathe Clean Air (Newcastle and Gateshead councils), Tyneside Clean Air Zone (“privately owned cars are not affected”; charges; bridges): breathe-cleanair.com
• Breathe Clean Air, penalty charge notices (GBP 120, GBP 60 within 14 days): breathe-cleanair.com
• GOV.UK, driving in a clean air zone (zone classes): gov.uk
• GOV.UK, speed limits (30 mph in built-up areas): gov.uk
• The Glasshouse International Centre for Music: theglasshouseicm.org