The Durham, Gateshead, South Tyneside and Sunderland Combined Authority (NECA) c/o Civic Centre, Regent Street, Gateshead, Tyne and Wear, NE8 1HH has applied to the Secretary of State for Transport under section 6 of the Transport and Works Act 1992 for an Order under section 3 and 5 of that Act.

The proposed Order makes provision for consequential amendments to The River Tyne (Tunnels) Order 2005 reflecting a change in the handling of toll payments. Payments are no longer accepted at toll barriers (which have been removed) but collected either by way of electronic payment or by cash at a PayPoint retailer. This change in toll collection was introduced by TT2 Ltd, who are responsible for the day to day management and operation of the Tyne Tunnels, to allow a free-flow traffic system through the Tyne Tunnels to facilitate reduced journey times through the tunnels, known as the Tyne Pass Scheme. The proposed Order also restructures the scheme for exemption from tolls for disabled persons so as to determine exempt status by reference to a system of registration of vehicles by disabled persons and to the Driver and Vehicle Licencing Authority database; it also introduces a toll exemption for coastguard vehicles.

The proposed Order does not authorise the carrying out of any works or the acquisition of land (whether compulsorily or by agreement); the application is accordingly not subject to an environmental impact assessment.

A copy of the application, and of all plans and other documents submitted with it, may be inspected free of charge, 7 days a week between the hours of 9am- 5pm, until 4 April 2022, by appointment only. An appointment can be made by emailing NECATransport@gateshead.gov.uk ; or by calling 0191 433 2102; or by written request to NECA’s Monitoring Officer (Transport) at the Borough Council of Gateshead address below.

The application and all associated documents may also be viewed online at https://northeastca.gov.uk/twao-application/

Copies of that information may be obtained by written request to NECA’s Monitoring Officer (Transport) at the Borough Council of Gateshead address below until 4 April 2022. A charge may be payable.

Any objections to, or other representations about, the proposals in the application should be sent to the Secretary of State for Transport, c/o Transport Infrastructure Planning Unit, Department for Transport, 5th Floor, Great Minster House, 33 Horseferry Road, London SW1P 4DR, (email transportinfrastructure@dft.gov.uk) on or before 4 April 2022.

An objection or other representation MUST (i) be received by the Secretary of State on or before 4 April 2022, (ii) be made in writing (whether sent by post or e-mail), (iii) state the grounds of the objection or other representation, (iv) indicate who is making the objection or other representation, and (v) give an address to which correspondence relating to the objection or other representation may be sent. (If you are sending your objection or other representation by e-mail, please provide a postal address and state “Tyne Tunnels Order” in the subject of the email.)

The Secretary of State may make complete copies of the objection and other representations public, including any personal information contained in them, and will copy them to the applicant for the Order.

Signed: On behalf of NECA (on behalf of the North East Joint Transport Committee)

Date: 16 February 2022

Mike Barker, Monitoring Officer (Transport)

Gateshead Council, Legal and Democratic Services, Civic Centre, Regent Street, Gateshead, Tyne and Wear NE8 1HH