New plans unveiled to replace Greater Manchester's controversial clean air zone

Greater Manchester‘s clean air zone – which would have seen daily charges for some vehicles – was due to be introduced last year, but was scrapped amid uproar from drivers.

Now, Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) has announced new plans to improve air quality.

Building on the Bee Network public transport system and using clean air funding already awarded by the Government, the proposal includes a £51.2m investment in zero-emission electric buses, £30.5m for grants for cleaner taxis and £5m to manage traffic flow on roads in Manchester and Salford.

No vehicle would be charged to drive in a clean air zone and the GMCA says its modelling shows it would bring air quality within legal limits for nitrogen dioxide on local roads in 2025.

Greater Manchester’s 10 local authorities have been legally directed by the Government to bring nitrogen dioxide within legal limits as soon as possible and by 2026 at the latest.

They are preparing to submit evidence to the Government in support of their new plan.

Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham said: “Cleaning up the air that people breathe is a priority for Greater Manchester and we have already started to do that through investment in the Bee Network, which saw the first buses brought back under local control in September.

“By accelerating investment in the Bee Network to create a London-style integrated public transport network, and upgrading GM-licensed taxis, we can improve air quality faster than if we introduced a clean air zone and without causing hardship to our residents or businesses.

“Since the first bus services came under local control, we have listened to feedback to make improvements and deliver change and are already seeing the benefits the Bee Network brings, with more people getting on board with lower fares under a locally controlled service, with new, state-of-the-art electric buses.

“I’d also ask Government to urgently consider allowing Greater Manchester local authorities to remove charging clean air zone signs, as modelling shows that only Greater Manchester’s investment-led plan can meet the legal test placed on the 10 councils to deliver compliance in the shortest possible time and by 2026 at the latest.”

Coun Eamonn O’Brien, clean air lead for Greater Manchester, said: “We know that there are very serious consequences of dirty air in Greater Manchester and that the health impacts are not always felt equally.

“We want to do the right thing in the right way, using an investment-led, non-charging plan to clean the air in a supportive and transitional way, that does not create the risk of financial hardship. While we can now prove our case for an investment-led plan, modelling shows that we can’t achieve compliance through a charging clean air zone by 2026. There is now a compelling case for what Greater Manchester has set out – a plan that is fairer, cheaper, more affordable and more democratic.

“Subject to the approval of the Greater Manchester Air Quality Administration Committee at its meeting on December 20, this evidence will be submitted to Government. It is then for Government to determine which scenario Greater Manchester is to implement – an investment-led, non-charging plan or a charging regional centre clean air zone.”