Clean Air Zone penalty considered as part of new measures to cut pollution

MOTORISTS could be charged up to £100 a day for driving in Bolton under radical new proposals meant to clean up the region’s air.

This week Greater Manchester Combined Authority leaders will consider a series of schemes to combat air pollution and its lethal effects.

Among the ideas under consideration is the creation of a Clean Air Zone ­— covering Bolton as well as all nine of the other Greater Manchester local authorities.

If approved, drivers of what the GMCA deems ‘high-polluting, non-compliant vehicles’ will have to pay a daily penalty to travel in the zone.

The charge could be implemented from 2021 and would apply to HGVs, taxis, private hire vehicles and buses ­— but not cars.

From 2023 the zone and penalty will then be expanded to include non-compliant vans.

It has been suggested that these penalties would be charged at £100 per day for HGVs and Buses and £7.50 for taxis, private hire vehicles and vans.

The charges will apply to vehicles that have not been upgraded to less polluting models, or with fitted with technology to make them compliant with Government emissions targets.

However, a two year delay has been suggested for vans as research has found that more time is need to ensure the second-had van market has the right vehicles in circulation.

Cars have been excluded from early proposals as experts claim that including the most polluting cars in the zone would not have reduced pollution levels any quicker due to its size and the short implementation timescale.

Following the announcement The Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, said he does not believe the plans do not constitute a congestion charge “by the front door or back door”, describing the proposals as “a balanced package of measures to clean up our air without punishing businesses or deprived communities.”

Mr Burnham also compared the debate on pollution to the ban on smoking in public places

He said: “This is a health issue that can’t be ignored. I think we’re at a tipping point on the clean air debate similar to the one around a decade ago on smoking in public places.

“Eventually we woke up and said we just can’t carry on like this, there has to be a change.

“Perhaps that change came more quickly because the pollution caused by smoking indoors was visible, air pollution is not visible in the same way but that doesn’t mean it is less damaging,” he added.

The likely controversial penalty plan forms a key part of a proposed package of measures outlined in a report submitted by the GMCA’s Green City Lead, Councillor Alex Ganotis.

Also suggested in the paper is a clean-up of the region’s bus, HGV, taxi and van fleets ­— contingent on a £116 million central government funding package ­— to help freight and logistics firms and bus and taxi operators make the switch to low-emission vehicles in the next two to four years.

And there will be further investment in 600 new public rapid electric vehicle charging points across Greater Manchester ­— trebling the size of the current network.

The moves come after the Government instructed local authorities to draw up plans to cut pollution to legal limit levels in the shortest possible time.

Bolton Council along with the nine other local authorities will be asked to approve the outline business case for the proposals before they are submitted to the Government at the end of March.

If agreed the plans would see the region hit clean air targets by 2024, Cllr Ganotis has said.

Dirty air is estimated to result in 1,200 deaths a year in Greater Manchester alone, with pollutants such as nitrogen oxide and tiny particles of dust, soot and liquid droplets ­— know as particulates ­— being linked with a range of serious health problems and reduced life expectancies.

More than 250 locations on 152 roads in the region have been identified as requiring action on harmful levels of nitrogen dioxide.

And it is believed road transport contributes 80 per cent of nitrogen dioxide emissions at the roadside, primarily from diesel vehicles.

Eleanor Roaf, Greater Manchester’s lead director of public health for air quality, said: “Air pollution is making us sick.

“It contributes to major health problems including breathing illnesses, heart disease, stroke and some cancers. And it affects the most vulnerable people in our society most badly – the elderly, sick, children and people living in the most deprived areas.

“Poor air quality is Greater Manchester’s most pressing environmental public health issue and the proposals set out in this report represent a crucial step in cleaning up our air.”

In response, Ian Humphreys, Managing Director of First Manchester, said: "We fully support the need to improve air quality and the environment across the Greater Manchester area. We are however disappointed to learn that additional taxation is to be used as the first key step in the plan as it is not helpful and an added burden on those who will ultimately pay and may not be able to afford it – especially those in the more deprived communities we serve.

“Bus passengers should be encouraged and rewarded for their choice of travel mode rather than being penalised as they are making a contribution to improving our environment. Air quality improvement planning requires a number of measures to be introduced in parallel to avoid penalising particular groups in society.”