The Greater Manchester Clean Air Proposal consultation is now open.
You have the opportunity to have your say from now until midnight on Sunday 30 June 2019 here: https://cleanairgm.com/conversation and we would strongly encourage you to do so, as this proposal is likely to impact every household in the region, not just businesses using HGVs and vans.
For full details on the proposal and to download a summary pdf, please see the dedicated website https://cleanairgm.com
Views are being sought particularly on the below elements of the plan:
1. The process to develop our proposals and the other options that were considered.
2. A Greater Manchester Clean Air Zone:
The proposed boundary
This is currently proposed to be the whole GM area from Littleborough and Ramsbottom in the North to Bramhall and New Mills in the South, including Stalybridge in the east and Wigan in the west. You can see the full map with boundaries by clicking this link.
The proposed daily penalties and Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) charge
Charges for non compliant HGVs and buses to travel within the area are proposed at £100 per day from 2021, and for non compliant taxis and vans may see a daily charge of £7.50 from 2023. On top of these charges, there would be additional penalties for non payment.
The proposed timescales for introducing the Clean Air Zone
From 2021 for the most polluting vehicles, including HGVs, buses and taxis (including private hire vehicles). Vans will be added in 2023. At this stage it is not planned to charge privately owned cars.
The vehicles that should be exempt from paying the daily penalty
Such as vans modified to carry wheelchairs. What about your local scout group??
And any other feedback you have about the Clean Air Zone proposals
Love it or hate it, this will be happening, so please take this opportunity to give your feedback and have your say in order that the proposal reflects as many of your views as possible.
3. How the proposed Clean Vehicle Funds should work, and whether other financial support should be available to help people and businesses move to cleaner vehicles.
4. Proposals to treble the number of electric vehicle charging points in Greater Manchester, and where the additional points should be located.
5. How best to help people, businesses and organisations including schools across Greater Manchester to play their part to reduce air pollution.
Please see below for our original article on this subject and further links…
With poor air quality estimated to contribute to around 1200 deaths per year in the Greater Manchester area, it will be a relief to many residents and particularly families, that Greater Manchester local authorities together with the GMCA and TfGM are currently looking at introducing a number of clean air zones across the worst affected stretches of road.
But what does this mean for you?
Charges are to be introduced for buses, coaches, taxis, lorries and vans to travel on some of the most polluted roads across the region. This is however not to be confused with a straight congestion charge. Most private vehicles are unlikely to be charged, and the same is true for environmentally friendly or green vehicles.
According to The Guardian the air quality in parts of the region already breaches legal limits, with one Manchester primary school unable to open windows because the pollution is at such a dangerous level. And in addition to the 1200 or so deaths to which air pollution contributes annually in the region, central Manchester also has the highest rate of emergency hospital admissions for asthma in England, at more than double the national average!
You can read more on this subject at Marketing Stockport or the full article including associated maps here.
As always contact us for further information.
