Greater Manchester motorists appear unlikely to face daily charges to drive into the region after the government signaled it will reject pay-per-mile road pricing in favor of local leaders’ alternative pollution-fighting plan.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs issued a statement Tuesday confirming it is “concluding our consideration of Greater Manchester’s Clean Air Plan proposal” and “will provide an update shortly” - just one day after Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander ruled out mandatory charging schemes.

“We’ve got no plans whatsoever to enforce a paid-for clean air zone in Greater Manchester,” Alexander told reporters Monday. “I could not be clearer: this is for local leaders to take local decisions about what’s best for their local areas.”

The development marks a dramatic shift from 2022, when Greater Manchester stood ready to implement daily charges of £60 for buses and HGVs, £10 for vans and minibuses, and £7.50 for Hackney cabs and private hire taxis. That scheme was abruptly paused following public outcry, prompting Mayor Andy Burnham to submit an alternative £86.7 million investment-led proposal in December 2023.

Burnham’s plan would spend £51.2 million upgrading buses to cleaner models, £30.5 million improving taxis, and £5 million reducing congestion on key routes including Regent Road and Quay Street - all without charging drivers directly. The mayor has awaited government approval for nearly a year while officials remained silent on the proposal’s fate.

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