Tyne Tunnel LEZ PCN

robert11

Looking for advice from anyone with practical knowledge of the Newcastle LEZ. Recently whilst on holiday we were transiting Newcastle en route from Scotland to Bamborough. Google maps took us down A167 across the Tyne Bridge, neither of us spotted the sign on the entrance to the bridge stating it was a LEZ and as such a charge had to be paid. I appreciate this is no defence as such but it's still a sore one to then be hit with a £120 PCN. The advice I'm seeking is hopefully practical re any defence that would actually be listened to and what if any further signage I've missed en route to the bridge that would have advised my of my approach and the advised route to avoid the LEZ. I also note from the pictures taken of my van entering the zone there seems to have been some kind of roadworks going on, I can only assume we've been concentrating on these and missed the sign, that said at that point we wouldn't have been able to avoid entry. 

I've contacted the council separately to ask the same question in addition to does the 14 day discounted penalty offer still apply if an appeal is submitted? They've advised they'll only respond to the registered keeper so suspect this will be a snail mail response and I might be time barred from the discount if it doesn't apply from the date of any appeal decision.

Lastly I found the clean air framework put out by the DoT states these schemes need to have been publicised, is it a defence being from Scotland to state this scheme hasn't been publicised here? Also advice should be available re how to avoid the area, can anyone from Newcastle let me know if I've missed this too?

Thanks, Ian

WellKnownSid

I think your defences here are:

1. Google told us to do it
2. We became so distracted by the roadworks we completely missed seeing the pedestrian / cyclist / motorbike
3. We don't have cars or roads here in Scotland - so the world you all live in is a complete magical mystery land to me and none of your rules apply to me

Mrs K vs Birmingham City Council - "The obligation on the motorist to be alert to signs and restrictions relating to a Clean Air Zone remains, even when relying on a satellite navigation system (“Sat Nav”)"
https://www.keycases.info/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/Decision_132364_KW01851-2304_Redacted.pdf

Turns out, there are whole Government departments advising motorists of their CAZ obligations
https://www.gov.uk/clean-air-zones

It also turns out we have LEZs in Scotland too!  They're changing all the time, drivers need to keep up to date.
https://lowemissionzones.scot

Please do yourself a favour and run, don't walk, and pay the discounted penalty.  Successful CAZ appeals are non-existent...
https://www.keycases.info/contravention-types/clean-air-zone/

Keep_pedalling

Are still in the 14 day period when you can get the 50% reduction? If you are just pay up pronto, you don’t really have much choice unless your car is compliant and has been incorrectly identified as non compliant, which is the only grounds you would likely to successfully appeal. Not noticing the rather large signs on the approach to the zone is a non starter. 

user1977

robert11 said:

The advice I'm seeking is hopefully practical re any defence that would actually be listened to and what if any further signage I've missed en route to the bridge that would have advised my of my approach and the advised route to avoid the LEZ. I also note from the pictures taken of my van entering the zone there seems to have been some kind of roadworks going on, I can only assume we've been concentrating on these and missed the sign, that said at that point we wouldn't have been able to avoid entry. 

There are advance warning signs from at least 3/4 mile in advance, if you do a "drive" along the road on Google Street View.

Mildly_Miffed

Bamburgh?

As in the one that's a chunk north of Newcastle, just south of Berwick?

Why would Google Maps even take you through the middle of Newcastle from "Scotland"?

As far as providing you with alternate routes - even if you were heading to southern suburbs of Newcastle, surely staying on the A1 would have made more sense? Or the A19 if you wanted to be nearer the coast?

Satnavs are for guidance, not for blindly following.

As a rough guide, assume the centre of any city will contain a CAZ, until you've confirmed otherwise.

la531983

robert11 said:

Lastly I found the clean air framework put out by the DoT states these schemes need to have been publicised, is it a defence being from Scotland to state this scheme hasn't been publicised here?

No. Where would you draw the line here? International advertising?

Think you will have to suck this up, I agree with previous posts that the route sounds dubious at best, also admitting you werent paying attention to signs will get you nowhere.

born_again

robert11 said:

Looking for advice from anyone with practical knowledge of the Newcastle LEZ. Recently whilst on holiday we were transiting Newcastle en route from Scotland to Bamborough. Google maps took us down A167 across the Tyne Bridge, neither of us spotted the sign on the entrance to the bridge stating it was a LEZ and as such a charge had to be paid. I appreciate this is no defence as such but it's still a sore one to then be hit with a £120 PCN. The advice I'm seeking is hopefully practical re any defence that would actually be listened to and what if any further signage I've missed en route to the bridge that would have advised my of my approach and the advised route to avoid the LEZ. I also note from the pictures taken of my van entering the zone there seems to have been some kind of roadworks going on, I can only assume we've been concentrating on these and missed the sign, that said at that point we wouldn't have been able to avoid entry. 

I've contacted the council separately to ask the same question in addition to does the 14 day discounted penalty offer still apply if an appeal is submitted? They've advised they'll only respond to the registered keeper so suspect this will be a snail mail response and I might be time barred from the discount if it doesn't apply from the date of any appeal decision.

Lastly I found the clean air framework put out by the DoT states these schemes need to have been publicised, is it a defence being from Scotland to state this scheme hasn't been publicised here? Also advice should be available re how to avoid the area, can anyone from Newcastle let me know if I've missed this too?

Thanks, Ian

It is over a year old, so not sure that they have to keep advertising them. Aside from the signs when entering the zone.

Given the is a car buying site
https://motorway.co.uk/sell-my-car/guides/newcastle-clean-air-zone#:~:text=The Newcastle CAZ launched on,private passenger cars or motorcycles.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-tyne-64428567

Think it's fair to say that it has been well covered in the public domain 🤷‍♀️