Plans for a charging Clean Air Zone in Greater Manchester have finally been scrapped, ensuring drivers in the county won’t face additional charges.
The decision was confirmed by the Government after an £86m scheme to help clean up the region’s air was approved by ministers.
Defra and the Department for Transport said they had rigorously assessed the investment-led plan proposed by the local councils and concluded it would meet legal obligations to reduce nitrogen dioxide pollution.
Greater Manchester was due to get a ‘Class C’ charging Clean Air Zone that would have levied charges on non-compliant buses, coaches and HGVs, taxis and private hire vehicles, and light goods vehicles (LGVs), but not cars.
The combined authority was mandated by the Government to explore a Clean Air Zone and plans were first announced back in 2019 but shelved due to the pandemic along with concerns over the impact on drivers and businesses.
Greater Manchester provided evidence that it can achieve compliance with legal limits faster than a charging CAZ thanks to a fleet of new buses and traffic-calming measures to improve air quality in the region.
The investment-led package includes:
- £51.1m towards bus investment, including 40 zero-emission buses, 77 Euro VI standard buses and charging infrastructure;
- £5m for local traffic management measures;
- £8m to support moving Greater Manchester’s taxi fleet to cleaner vehicles
- Up to £21.9m for administration, delivery, monitoring and other associated costs.
Local leaders were also told they can review and cancel contracts relating to the Clean Air Zone, such as signs and cameras.
Air Quality Minister Emma Hardy said: “To improve our health, wellbeing and the environment, we must improve air quality. Local authorities know their communities well and so they need to develop plans that are most effective for their local area, and I am pleased that Greater Manchester has found a clear way to reduce emissions without the need to charge motorists.
“I look forward to working with the teams across Greater Manchester as they put this important plan in place. Government will continue to take the action needed to ensure everyone has safe air to breathe across the nation.”
Mayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham said: “We are grateful to this government for listening to Greater Manchester and for this vote of confidence in our investment-led approach to cleaning up our air. This is the right decision for Greater Manchester and it gives people here the certainty they have long needed.”
The UK has legally binding targets to reduce the concentration of nitrogen dioxide in the air to an annual average of no more than 40 micrograms per cubic metre.
The Government said it’s the role of local councils to determine the quickest and most effective way to do that, but works with local authorities to ensure proposed plans address nitrogen dioxide pollution in the shortest time possible.
