Tyneside (Newcastle / Gateshead) Clean Air Zone PCN: The Class C Cars-Exempt Defence

Tyneside CAZ-C: Cars Are Out, ANPR Misreads Cars In

The Tyneside Clean Air Zone Class C has been operational across Newcastle and Gateshead since January 2023, charging:

• £12.50/day for non-compliant taxis and PHVs
• £50/day for non-compliant HGVs, buses and coaches
• £0 for cars, vans, motorcycles (out of CAZ-C scope)

Because cars are out of scope, a recurring pattern in Tyneside PCNs is the ANPR misread — the camera reads a car's plate as a goods vehicle's plate, or attributes an HGV detection to a passenger car keeper. If your car received a Tyneside CAZ PCN, you almost certainly have a strong Ground 5 (ANPR misread) or Ground 1 (wrong vehicle class) defence.

The Two Tyneside-Specific Grounds

Ground A: Wrong Vehicle Class (cars are exempt)

If the V5C body type is "Car" or "Motor car", the vehicle is out of CAZ-C scope and the PCN was misissued. This is by far the most common ground for private-vehicle Tyneside PCNs. Submit a copy of the V5C and the PCN should be cancelled within the first review.

Ground B: ANPR Misread of a Plate

ANPR systems can misread characters (O→0, I→1, B→8, S→5, etc) and occasionally attribute a detection to the wrong vehicle entirely. If you received a Tyneside CAZ PCN but you were not in Tyneside that day, or your vehicle is not in any of the chargeable classes, request the ANPR image and look for the misread pattern. Evidence:

• GPS location data (Google Maps Timeline, Find My iPhone history)
• Fuel receipts from a different city on the same date
• Time-stamped photos from elsewhere

The Standard 6 Grounds Also Apply

Beyond the Tyneside-specific defences, all 6 standard CAZ grounds apply — see Birmingham CAZ Appeal for the full framework. The legal basis is the same Civil Enforcement Regulations 2022 across all English CAZ schemes.

Step 1: Submit Representations Within 28 Days

Newcastle and Gateshead share the same PCN portal at breathecleanair.com. Submit online or by post to:

> Newcastle City Council / Gateshead Council

> CAZ PCN Team

> Civic Centre

> Barras Bridge

> Newcastle upon Tyne NE1 8QH

The representations team is shared between the two councils.

Step 2: TPT Escalation

If rejected, escalate to the Traffic Penalty Tribunal within 28 days. Tyneside-specific case summaries at trafficpenaltytribunal.gov.uk/appeals-process-newcastle-and-gateshead-clean-air-zone.

Numbers That Matter

• Tyneside CAZ daily charge: £12.50 (taxi/PHV), £50 (HGV/bus/coach), £0 (car/van/motorcycle)
• PCN amount: £120 (£60 within 14 days)
• Representations window: 28 days
• TPT escalation window: 28 days

Related Reading

• Birmingham Clean Air Zone PCN Appeal — full 6-grounds framework
• Sheffield Clean Air Zone PCN Appeal — sister Class C zone
• Portsmouth Clean Air Zone PCN Appeal