CHARGING drivers to use one of Bolton's busiest roads would be a "crazy" idea, according to the council's environmental chief.

Cllr Nick Peel said that turning St Peter's Way into a 'clean air zone' would do little to solve pollution issues and would hurt Bolton's economy.

It was reported yesterday that the region's transport bosses are considering introducing £7.50 tariffs for high-polluting vehicles on the road and other areas with high levels of emissions.

But Cllr Peel, the council's cabinet member for environmental services, says he is unaware of such proposals and would oppose the idea.

He said: "There are no plans that we are aware of on a Greater Manchester scale to introduce these kind of charges.

"The idea of having any kind of congestion charge was put to bed years ago.

"I am not aware of any Greater Manchester politicians pushing this and we certainly aren't here in Bolton.

"If the government is suggesting a charge of some sort to tackle pollution in places like Bolton then we will have to look at that carefully.

"I would have a lot of questions about this and would certainly be against it at this stage.

"I would want to know what the money raised would be used for, how the charge would be applied, which specific areas would be the entry and exit zones, and so on.

"It would be naive for people to think we can just bring in a charge like this without thinking about the implications."

In a government consultation launched on Friday, Bolton is identified as one of 38 areas in England with one or more roads forecast to persistently exceed legal levels of nitrogen dioxide emissions.

The consultation document, from the Department for Education, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) states that the government is "determined to improve air quality in a way that supports local areas and helps them deliver a stronger economy" but that the creation of 'clean air zones' would be left to local authorities.

It states that charging zones "should only be used where local authorities fail to identify equally effective alternatives", and Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) bosses say they are considering a "wide range of possible options".

Reports yesterday said that, by 2020, diesel or high-polluting petrol cars could be charged a daily tariff of £7.50, £20 for LGVs and £100 for HGVs.

Cllr Peel added: "I believe it would be very damaging to the Bolton economy.

"St Peter's Way is a main trunk road straight off the motorway, and a charge would result in traffic diverting to other roads that cannot handle it.

"It is an incredibly important road for Bolton.

"I have long argued that if the government is serious about taking cars off the road then we have got to put a huge investment into our public transport infrastructure.

"The government also needs to invest in scientific research in order to tackle the harmful chemicals that vehicles produce, instead of knee-jerk solutions like this.

"This is a crazy idea and I think it needs putting to bed."

A TfGM spokesman said: “TfGM works closely with Defra on future policy areas including policy relating to air quality in Greater Manchester.

“Ahead of the publication of the draft UK Air Quality Plan and as outlined in both the Greater Manchester Low Emission Strategy and the Air Quality Action Plan, TfGM has started to consider the possible impact of any future proposals, how they could affect Greater Manchester and to explore the feasibility of Clean Air Zones.

“This work is critical, as Defra’s draft report is very clear in stating: ‘it will be the responsibility of local authorities to develop innovative proposals for their local area that will bring pollution levels within the legal limits within the shortest time possible’.

“As such, this early-stage exploratory work, for which Defra provided funding, considers a wide range of possible options and scenarios and aims to assess a significant number of variables which need to be considered.

“Over the course of the coming weeks we will be reviewing Defra’s national proposals in line with our Greater Manchester Low Emission Strategy and Air Quality Action Plan, and GMCA will be responding to the consultation as appropriate.”

Andy Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester, rejected the idea of a congestion charge during his election campaign and says he has played no part in these new plans.

A spokesman for Mr Burnham said: “The mayor has not seen this document and had no role in drawing it up.

“His manifesto ruled out a congestion charge in Greater Manchester — and that commitment will not change.

“We do need to improve air quality in Greater Manchester, but we will not punish drivers of diesel cars who bought them in good faith. It is for the government to give diesel drivers help to switch to less polluting vehicles.”