Why a clean air plan is needed
Like many other areas, GM has illegal levels of nitrogen dioxide air pollution on local roads across the city-region. Poor air quality affects everyone’s health, and is linked to chronic conditions like asthma, heart disease, stroke, some cancers and early deaths.1 GM leaders are committed to making our city-region a cleaner and healthier place to live in, work in and visit, for everyone.
The 10 GM local authorities are under legal direction from government to meet legal limits for nitrogen dioxide on local roads in the shortest possible time and by 2026 at the latest.
Latest position
The government has approved the investment-led GM Clean Air Plan and therefore drivers in Greater Manchester will not face charges for driving in and around the city-region. The area is set to benefit instead from an £86 million scheme to clean up the region’s air.
This decision rules out a charging Clean Air Zone, so drivers and motorists will not face additional charges. Instead, Greater Manchester will deliver its investment-led plan.
The government has approved:
- £51.1m towards bus investment, including 40 zero emission buses, 77 Euro VI standard buses and charging infrastructure;
- £5m for local traffic management measures;
- £8 million to support moving Greater Manchester’s taxi fleet to cleaner vehicles
- Up to £21.9m for administration, delivery, monitoring and other associated costs.
- Review and cancelling contracts relating to the Clean Air Zone, such as signs and cameras.
It is the role of local councils to determine the quickest and most effective way to reduce the concentration of nitrogen dioxide in the air. Defra and the Department for Transport have assessed Greater Manchester’s investment-led plan and concluded it will meet legal obligations to reduce nitrogen dioxide pollution.
Next steps
- Proposals and timelines for next steps – including taxi funds opening and potential alternative uses for the Clean Air Zone signage infrastructure – will be presented at an upcoming Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) meeting.
- Cleaner bus measures will now start to be rolled out.
- How best to use the taxi funding to support local vehicle upgrades to a cleaner taxi fleet will be looked at. This will include a review of the taxi funding requirement based on the latest taxi licensing data. The taxi trade will be kept updated through the 10 Greater Manchester licensing authorities.
More information
For all the latest and more detailed information about the GM Air Plan: