Greater Manchester delays Clean Air Zone until 2022

Plans to impose a daily penalty on the most polluting lorries, vans, buses and taxis using the region’s roads have been pushed back by a year as Greater Manchester finds itself in a 'standoff' with government over funding.

The implementation of a Clean Air Zone (CAZ), which would mean non-compliant commercial vehicles facing fines of up to £100-a-day for using most of the city-region’s roads, has been delayed to 2022 due to the coronavirus crisis.

Councillor Allen Brett, leader of Rochdale Borough Council, says certainty is needed on the funding so the proposals can be developed.

He said: “We’re determined to make progress on the Clean Air Plan to tackle air pollution. We’ve been pleased that lockdown has seen people making choices that are better for the environment and for their health and we can capitalise on that.

“We need certainty on Clean Air funding as soon as possible so we can give our businesses the information they need to play a full role in the public consultation and further development of the proposals.

“We are committed to supporting our businesses and we’re asking for the government’s support in helping businesses make the switch to cleaner vehicles.”

A public consultation on the long-delayed Clean Air Zone proposals was planned for summer 2021 but this has been postponed until the impact of Covid-19 on the local economy is better understood.

• www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/133964/clean-air-zone-plans-delayed-by-coronavirus

Bolton Council leader David Greenhalgh has put some of the blame on a 'standoff' between Greater Manchester and the government over money to clean up vehicles by retrofitting greener engines or replacing them altogether.

He said: “There’s a discussion ongoing between Greater Manchester and government. Government quite clearly want Greater Manchester to come up with a fully-costed proposal inclusive of all sectors on what is needed.

“Greater Manchester want government to come up with how much it is prepared to give and we’ll then come up with the proposals to fit the funds that government will provide.

“There’s a significant difference. One is saying, ‘show me what you’ve got, and we’ll work with it’, the other is saying, ‘no, tell me what you want, and we’ll see if we can give you that’.

“So, it’s two options and at the moment there appears to me, as I’m observing it, a standoff in terms of who is going to present on either side.

“That’s the position on funding. It’s not that it’s not available.”

This comes after the government only committed to giving Greater Manchester £36m for enforcement cameras and “back office costs” to implement the scheme last year despite demands of more than £116m.

The government has now accepted the need for vehicle replacement funds for hackney carriages and light goods vehicles, according to a council report.

Money to retrofit buses with cleaner engines and install more electric vehicle charging points across the region could also be funded by the government.

The government instructed local authorities to take 'quick action' to reduce harmful Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) after losing a series of legal challenges by environmental law charity Client Earth.

Motorways and some major A roads which are managed by Highways England have not received the same instruction to set up a similar scheme.

Under the current proposals for Greater Manchester, heavy goods vehicles, buses and coaches would be charged £100 daily, while taxis, private hire vehicles and light goods vehicles would pay £7.50 per day.

Joseph Timan, Local Democracy Reporter