Greater Manchester Clean Air Plan – have your say!

The ‘Greater Manchester Clean Air Plan to tackle nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) exceedances’ (GM Clean Air Plan) proposes a package of measures to significantly reduce NO₂ emissions from the most polluting road vehicles which are linked to a range of serious health problems and reduced life expectancy.

These measures could see non-compliant vehicles charged £7.50 per day rising to £100 per day for HGVs and coaches.

Poor air quality is the largest environmental public health issue facing the UK, with air pollution estimated to contribute to the equivalent of 1,200 deaths in Greater Manchester each year.

A seven-week clean air conversation is running until Sunday 30 June. More information is available at cleanairgm.com, where you can fill out a survey to give detailed feedback on the GM Clean Air Plan proposals, which include:

• A Greater Manchester Clean Air Zone which the most polluting buses, coaches, HGVs, vans, taxis and private hire vehicles would pay a daily penalty to drive in.

• A multi-million pound funding package to support local businesses and sole traders to upgrade to cleaner vehicles.

• To treble the number of electric vehicle public charging points.

The proposed Clean Air Zone would be implemented from 2021 for non-compliant buses, coaches, HGVs, taxis and private hire vehicles. From 2023 the Clean Air Zone would also include non-compliant vans, minibuses, motorhomes and motorised horseboxes – when the availability of compliant vans on the market will make switching a viable option.

If you’re interested in our proposals – or could be affected by them – we want to hear from you.

Later this year, we will be holding a statutory public consultation on the detailed proposals. But, it’s really important we hear from as many people as possible now to help us come up with the right Clean Air Plan for Greater Manchester.

To find out more and take part in the survey, visit Greater Manchester Clean Air