Andy Burnham has called for cities to be given longer to bring down pollution levels after a series of mass protests demanded Greater Manchester’s new clean air zone be scrapped before it is even launched.
The region’s mayor said the government’s 2024 deadline for meeting nitrogen dioxide limits should be delayed until 2025 at the earliest and potentially as late as 2027.
The call comes amid growing fears the region’s new CAZ will put thousands of businesses and livelihoods at risk if it goes ahead.
As things stand, the most polluting commercial vehicles – buses, lorries and some private hire cabs – will be charged up to £60 a day to drive within the 500-square-miles of Greater Manchester from 30 May. Taxis, coaches and minibuses will then be charged from June 2023.
Although private vehicles would not face fees, there is a fear that everyone across the region would be effected through rising transport fares, supermarket prices and service costs. The Federation of Small Business has warned of hundred of small businesses going under and thousands of jobs being lost. Prime minister Boris Johnson called the scheme “completely unworkable” during a question in parliament.
But, speaking to reporters in Manchester on Wednesday, Mr Burnham suggested that if the government gave more time for cities to adapt to the clean air legislation, the charges of Greater Manchester’s own zone could be scrapped.
“The more time the government is prepared to allow, the greater the level of protection that can be provided to jobs and businesses…and the less punitive the measures will need to be,” he said.
The Labour mayor added: “The current Greater Manchester Clean Air Zone was designed before the pandemic. It was based on a legal direction from the government requiring action in all 10 Greater Manchester boroughs to clean up the air and compliance in as short a time as possible and by no later than by 2024…
"We have repeatedly raised concerns over a number of years about the level of funding being offered by the Government to help people upgrade vehicles. These concerns intensified last year when the effects of the pandemic became clear."
Welcoming the move, Robert Downes, development manager with the Federation of Small Businesses, said: “Thousands of businesses would be put to the sword if this goes ahead and, while this doesn’t change anything as yet, a lot of those business owners will be sleeping a little easier tonight feeling that there is some hope that common sense has been seen.”
Yet the potential delay will cause no small amount of disquiet among environmental and health campaigners in the region.
“This can’t be put off any longer,” said Rob Nunney, one of six Green Party councillors across Greater Manchester’s 10 councils. “We do need better funding for those who will be affected and I blame the government for that not being in place and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority for not preparing better for this. But delaying the roll out is not the answer. Our air is killing people and we have already taken too long on this.”
