Permission granted to delay launch of Greater Manchester Clean Air Zone

The government has today (Friday 4 February) granted permission to Greater Manchester Authorities to delay the implementation of the Clean Air Zone.

Decisions around the introduction of Clean Air Zones are the responsibility of local authorities, in consultation with residents and local businesses.

However, since Greater Manchester’s proposals were submitted in 2019 there have been a number of challenges, including the impact of Covid-19 on supply chains and the price and availability of second-hand vehicles.

According to evidence provided, these impacts will make it harder for people to upgrade to cleaner vehicles, meaning the Clean Air Zone is unlikely to deliver compliance with legal limits by the original date of 2024.

This has led the Mayor of Greater Manchester to request more time to achieve NO2 compliance and enable Greater Manchester local authorities to review the NO2 plan.

Following meetings last week and further discussions today, the Environment Secretary has agreed to allow a short delay to the implementation of the Clean Air Zone.

This will allow Greater Manchester to provide further evidence and a revised plan by July setting out how it will deliver legal levels of NO2 as soon as possible, and no later than 2026.

Air pollution has reduced significantly since 2010 – emissions of fine particulate matter have fallen by 11%, while emissions of nitrogen oxides are at their lowest level since records began. 

At a national level, the government is investing £880m to tackle nitrogen dioxide exceedances. Nearly £170m has already been allocated across Greater Manchester to help reduce nitrogen dioxide levels.

In a joint statement, Jo Churchill, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester and Cllr Andrew Western, GMCA portfolio lead for clean air, said: "We met last week and have had further robust and constructive discussions today to find a solution.

"Air quality is one of our biggest health challenges and we are all completely committed to tackling it.

"We have agreed to a short time-limited pause. We will work together to deliver, by the middle of the year, a plan for clean air for Greater Manchester, one that is fair to the businesses and residents of the city-region. 

"We will deliver improved air quality as soon as possible, not losing ambition but ensuring we take into account the pandemic, global supply chain challenges, improvements already baked into retrofits and the scope as previously laid out.

"We will now work jointly to meet the Greater Manchester and Government requirements on clean air, as soon as possible, and no later than 2026."