Newcastle’s Clean Air Zone’s Has Seen a 9% Drop in CO2 Across the City

National World - LocalTV

Newcastle City Council have now reported a 9% decrease in nitrogen dioxide levels across the city between 2023 and 2024, since the CAZ was introduced in January 2023.

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00:00The Clean Air Zone, or CARS, was introduced to Newcastle in January 2023.

00:05Under the scheme, certain high-polluting vehicles are charged up to £50 a day to drive through the city centre,

00:11as part of efforts to tackle illegal air pollution levels in some of Tyneside's worst hotspots.

00:17Newcastle City have now reported a 9% decrease in nitrogen dioxide levels across the city between 2023 and 2024.

00:25Council leaders say the reduction is a clear sign that the Clean Air Zone is having a positive effect.

00:31Under the scheme, certain high-polluting vehicles are charged up to £50 a day to drive through the city centre,

00:37as part of efforts to tackle illegal air pollution levels in some of Tyneside's worst hotspots.

00:42Despite the overall improvement, the CARS will remain in place,

00:46with two areas of the city still breaching legal limits for nitrogen dioxide.

00:50The waste remains in the area around the Corner House Junction on the Coast Road.

00:54There, a roadside pollution sensor recorded an average of NO2 levels at 64.5mg per cubic metre in 2024,

01:02still well above the legal limit of 40.

01:05But that's down from 67.1 the year before,

01:08and a significant improvement from 2022 and 2021, when readings were over 92.

01:13Council officials say the levels residents are actually exposed to in nearby homes

01:18are lower than those recorded at the roadside.

01:20The only other hotspot exceeding the legal threshold is Percy Street in the city centre,

01:25where monitors recorded levels just over the limit at 44 and 41.1 micrograms.

01:30That's a stark contrast to 2019,

01:32when 48 different locations across Newcastle were breaching the legal standard.

01:37Labour councillor Juno say the INC Cabinet Member for Climate and Transport

01:40welcomed the results, calling the drop in pollution a vital step forward.

01:44Mercedes-Benz

01:54Thank you for your question.

01:58So far, it should be my Alison Bracey and this university site to support

02:03our University of Bristol's record now.

02:05This is just a way to protect us,

02:06and I think these are the ones who take over the Green River

02:08who were lucky when this was by imprescases that you were trying to prevent them,

02:09even though it wouldn't just be not,

02:11to protect us from September 1st.

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