(11 Sep 2021, 11:11 am)Storx wrote In fairness, the North East is the poorest region in the North East. Having a tax which mostly affects poor people who can't afford anything more expensive is extremely unfair. It's alright in somewhere like London as it has an expansive public transport whereas up here it's not

Most the highest emissions in Newcastle were in spots where cars can't even drive down anyway or there's very few of them like Percy Street so they're not the cause of the high emissions mostly in Newcastle.

https://www.newcastle.gov.uk/sites/defau...R_2020.pdf - Data here. For example the highest in Newcastle (excluding one on the Coast Road (DT81)) is DT65 which is Blackett Street / Old Eldon Sq and there's only one thing which can be blamed there and it's why they're getting the charge. 

I've made a similar point in the past.

For all the positives there may closing Blackett Street, its simply going to increase emissions elsewhere in the town.

Having buses shadow and follow each other to/from the same places or down route corridors can be managed by the operators. Probably a lot easier and efficient doing that, than reallocating and repainting buses to suit.
They may also realise that not everyone needs to be in the town, don't work in the town or lives in the town.