Durham City congestion charge

[1][2] Durham County Council introduced the toll for drivers using 1,000-year-old Saddler Street in the city centre which stands on the peninsula above the River Wear.

[1] The narrow street, built centuries ago to cater for nothing bigger than a horse and cart, is used by up to 17,000 pedestrians a day, and, according to Durham County Council a "conflict between the two was causing traffic congestion, environmental problems and road safety hazards, as well as detracting from the experience of the World Heritage Site".

[1] Until 2011, traffic was controlled by a rising bollard in the road, which was monitored by CCTV and linked to an intercom system.

[4] According to Durham County Council, "the vast majority are very, very minor, resulting in damage such as a bent number plate.

"[4] On 22 January 2011, The Northern Echo reported that Durham County Council was consulting on replacing the bollard with an automatic number plate recognition system.