New Greater Manchester Clean Air Zone plan ‘still doesn’t go far enough’, anti-pollution campaigners say

Greater Manchester’s new clean air plan ‘still doesn’t go far enough’, anti-pollution campaigners have said.

Ministers confirmed on Thursday morning (23 January) that Andy Burnham’s ‘investment-led approach’ will go ahead, meaning no charges will be issued to drive on the region’s roads.

It aims to reduce emissions with an £86 million package to invest in cleaner buses and taxis, and reduce congestion on key roads.

The decision brings a three-year saga on clean air to an end, after plans to charge some motorists up to £60 a day for driving in Greater Manchester were put on hold after a huge public backlash at the start of 2022.

The mayor’s alternative plan was unveiled in December 2023, and has been waiting for government sign-off since then.

 

 

Andy Burnham heralded the announcement as ‘a truly great outcome’, but opposition to the move remains. While cabbies are concerned some £8m of funding won’t cover the cost of upgrading nearly two-thirds of Greater Manchester’s 1,100-strong taxi fleet, clean air campaigners say more needs to be done.

“The long-awaited approval of Greater Manchester’s clean air plan is a good first step, but as it stands it still does not go far enough,” said Maddy Dawe, from Asthma + Lung UK.

“Whilst we welcome the measures outlined in the plan, they are only designed to cut air pollution levels to just below legal limits, far above the internationally recognised guidelines set by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

“Without striving to meet WHO guidelines, Greater Manchester will not achieve the rapid reduction in air pollution necessary to safeguard people’s health, particularly those with lung conditions.”

“Greater Manchester has had the highest rate of air pollution of any region in the UK for two years, while we have waited for any plan to be approved. This is contributing to high asthma rates and up to 1,200 early deaths each year. More ambition is needed from the mayor to protect the health of our most vulnerable communities.”

On Thursday, Mr Burnham told BBC Radio Manchester clean air campaigners ‘should be celebrating this with us’.

“Investing in public transport is a better way of getting clean air,” he added. “With the old plan people would have not been able to afford to clean up their vehicles and be stuck with paying the charge and no cleaner air.”

Ethan Davies, Local Democracy Reporter