No charge Clean Air Zone for Greater Manchester is a ‘truly great outcome’, Andy Burnham says
The UK government has decided not to impose a charging Clean Air Zone in Greater Manchester, opting instead for an £86 million investment-led approach to reduce pollution by upgrading buses and taxis and reducing congestion. Mayor Andy Burnham hailed this as a "truly great outcome," though some groups, including Hackney Carriage drivers and clean air campaigners, argue the plan doesn't go far enough.
Greater Manchester will not face a charging clean air zone after ministers backed Mayor Andy Burnham’s £86 million investment-led plan to cut pollution through cleaner buses, taxis and congestion reduction on key routes like Regent Road.
The government confirmation Thursday ends a three-year battle that began when proposed daily charges of up to £60 for some motorists sparked massive public opposition in early 2022, forcing officials to shelve the original scheme.
“It’s great news,” Burnham said. “We have been arguing for the investment-led approach to clean up the air for quite some months. It’s great this government has listened to Greater Manchester and is backing our approach. The critical thing is no charging zone for Greater Manchester. This is truly a great outcome for Greater Manchester.”
The mayor said approval came after the government gained confidence from Greater Manchester’s delivery of bus regulation and the Bee Network, though critics note the plan only achieves legal emissions limits through rounding down calculations. Clean air campaigners and Hackney Carriage drivers remain dissatisfied, with drivers facing £95,000 vehicle upgrade costs and Asthma + Lung UK warning the measures fall short of World Health Organization guidelines that could prevent up to 1,200 early deaths annually linked to the region’s air pollution.
Source: Read original article