The Conservatives’ new North East mayor candidate says he wants to get rid of Newcastle’s Clean Air Zone (CAZ) tolls.

Guy Renner-Thompson, who was chosen by Tory members last weekend to stand in 2024’s historic regional election, has claimed that he would remove the city centre charges that were imposed on drivers of some high-polluting vehicles earlier this year. However, local council leaders have quickly hit back – insisting that the mayor would have no control over the CAZ and that, under the terms of a legal order from the Government, it cannot be removed until air pollution levels have been reduced.

Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, Mr Renner-Thompson said that he would oppose the creation of any new Low Traffic Neighbourhoods or CAZs in the North East if elected next May – and would scrap the existing Newcastle tolls. Asked if he would have the authority to do that, the Northumberland county councillor replied that he would “expect” local councils to follow the new mayor’s policy.

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He said: “If you read the mayoral authority documents, the mayor has overall responsibility for the regional transport strategy. Whether the CAZ comes into that or not would be a debate to be had. But if you have a regional transport strategy then I would expect the regions to follow it and I think they have a duty to.”

He added: “You can have different policies in different parts of the country. What might work in one city isn’t right for Newcastle or the North East. The main people it is hurting are small businesses, people with vans and pick-up trucks, people with commercial vehicles that don’t conform to the rules.”

Martin Gannon, the Labour leader of Gateshead Council, accused Mr Renner-Thompson of having “applied for a job without knowing what that job is”. He added: “The CAZ is entirely to do with Gateshead and Newcastle councils – it has nothing to do with the mayor and it is implementing a directive from his own Government.”

The Tyneside local authorities, like several others around the country, were issued with an order by the Government to reduce illegal levels of air pollution in certain emissions hotpots. The CAZ was chosen as the means to do that – with tolls of either £12.50 or £50 per day levied on older buses, coaches, lorries, vans, and taxis that do not comply with the zone’s environmental regulations. All privately-owned cars are exempt from the charges.

A spokesperson for the Newcastle and Gateshead Clean Air Zone said: “The Newcastle and Gateshead Clean Air Zone is in place to improve our air quality and reduce the health risks that are caused by pollution and are harmful to everyone. It was implemented earlier this year, affecting older and more polluting vehicles, in response to a legal direction from Government.

“This direction sets out requirements on councils to reduce emissions through the CAZ and ensure that any improvement in air quality is sustainable in the longer term. Under the terms of the legal direction, only when this has been achieved will we be able to look at ending the CAZ. Together with the Government, we are continuing to monitor air quality data and this will be used to inform any decisions regarding the future of the CAZ.”

When questioned by the LDRS, Mr Renner-Thompson admitted that his stance may be “going against central Government policy”, but added: “I think the policy from the Government is to give councils the power to do this and you have seen a variety of approaches.”

His comments come after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced in September that he would "back drivers" with a clampdown on measures such as low traffic neighbourhoods, following opposition to London's Ultra Low Emissions Zone being credited with helping the Tories win a by-election in Boris Johnson's old Uxbridge seat.

Coun Renner-Thompson's other pledges include a promise not to put any new mayoral precept on North East residents’ council tax bills, to set up a new mayoral development corporation, the launch of a grant scheme for both urban and rural small businesses, and a drive to improve school standards across the region. The Bamburgh councillor also pledged support for the dualling of the A1 in Northumberland, improvements to the A69 and A68, the opening of more stations on the East Coast Main Line, and a restoration o the mothballed Leamside Line.

Labour's Kim McGuinness and sitting North of Tyne mayor Jamie Driscoll, who will stand as an independent, are the other two candidates so far confirmed to be contesting next year's North East mayor election. The new mayor will represent a population of roughly two million people across Northumberland, Tyne and Wear, and Durham.