Clean Air Zone grants scheme to pause for review

The Clean Air Zone grants scheme will be paused temporarily from this weekend so that a review can be carried out.

People wishing to apply for funding under the current terms and conditions are reminded that they must submit their application by the end of Sunday 17 December 2023.

Applications that have already been made, or are submitted before the end of that date, will still be processed and applicants will receive a temporary exemption from CAZ charges while this takes place.

However, no new applications will be accepted from December 17 until after the review of the scheme has been completed.

The grants funding, which is provided by government, is in place to help drivers and businesses replace older, more polluting vehicles with cleaner models that meet national CAZ emissions requirements. This is to reduce traffic-related pollution, which is harmful to people’s health.

As the grants funding is limited, councils have initially prioritised those who have no choice but to operate within the zone, with applicants being required to demonstrate regular business activity within the CAZ.

The review of the grants scheme will look at ways to ensure funding can be made available to more people now that the majority of priority applications have been dealt with.

The grants scheme will be relaunched, with new terms and conditions and revised eligibility criteria, in February 2024.

Further details about changes to the eligibility criteria will be confirmed once the review has been carried out.

Full details of the current terms and conditions and eligibility criteria can be found at www.breathe-cleanair.com/grants.

People can sign up to receive updates at www.breathe-cleanair.com/sign-up.

The Clean Air Zone was introduced following a legal order from government, which required Newcastle and Gateshead councils to tackle illegal levels of pollution.