One Month On? Newcastle CAZ income is growing retail trade outside the Toon.

 

Local reporting has illustrated that retail outlets in Newcastle’s outlying suburbs, surrounding towns and areas which are becoming ‘fine-avoidance parking strips’ have recorded growth for the first time in three years, as fines and the fear of fines is changing people's shopping habits. 

In only one month of operation, more than 1,600 drivers were fined for not paying Newcastle's Clean Air Zone (CAZ) charges. 

Newcastle City Council said “1,476 journeys were paid for in the CAZ compared to 1,658 drivers who flouted the toll and were fined. The amount of income generated by the CAZ was £54,327 including £41,975 in toll payments, £7,402 in paid fines, and £4,950 from discounted seven-day passes for taxi drivers”.

An observer from Cramlington reported on her social media that “I have found parking in our town centre quite difficult lately and there’s a definite greater movement of people through both the indoor and outdoor retail areas, I've been told by friends that's because they have stopped travelling into Newcastle to shop in case they get fined.”

Another social media chat from the same area contained “I have come back to Cramlington to do my weekly shop as the Newcastle and Gateshead CAZ rules frighten me.I’m amazed at how crowded the shops are, it seems the new Boyes shop and Food Warehouse are doing very well”.

With Newcastle’s businesses watching the slowdown caused by CAZ and the suburbs beginning to suffer from parking problems by those who must enter the city to work, Council’s need to ensure that the next step into ‘Greenness’ and political parties ‘Green new deals’ are not smitten by city centricity also planners and people in power need to begin to realise that once you get into your car you can shop anywhere. 

This very rapid change in the retail trade experienced by Birmingham who introduced a similar scheme two years ago and now Newcastle/Gateshead must show politicians that people are not going to give up the independence a car brings them by 2030 and the cost of stripping out that independence for those living outside of cities with loads of public transport will be empty city high streets and a disappearing vote!