Greater Manchester Clean Air Zone plan referred back to government

Clean Air Zones (CAZ) have already been introduced in Birmingham and Bath

Plans to charge high-emission vehicles to drive across Greater Manchester are to be referred back to the government to review, the region's mayor has said.

From 30 May, some vehicles, but not private cars, could be charged between £7.50 and £60 daily under the Clean Air Zone (CAZ) plan.

About 200 people attended a rally against the charges earlier this month.

Andy Burnham said the CAZ had to be "fair for everyone" but councillors said the scheme will not be scrapped.

The government has provided £120m to help eligible drivers in Greater Manchester, including small businesses, the voluntary sector and HGV owners, switch to compliant vehicles.

Funding to upgrade heavy goods vehicles opened at the end of November.

'Real hardship'

Greater Manchester Combined Authority will ask the government to pause the next phase of the financial support to upgrade taxis, vans, coaches and minibuses which was due to open at the end of this month.

It comes amid evidence of supply chain issues in the light goods vehicles market, increasing the price of second-hand vehicles.

The government has been calling on regional authorities to introduce Clean Air Zones (CAZ) after the UK's highest court, the Supreme Court, ordered ministers in 2015 to take immediate action to cut air pollution.

Following a meeting at Manchester Town Hall, Mr Burnham tweeted to say council leaders had "tried in good faith to make the government's legal direction work".

The CAZ is due to be introduced in May in Greater Manchester

"However, changes in the vehicle market mean it is impossible to proceed on the current basis without causing real hardship to some of our residents," Mr Burnham said.

"This decision opens up the space for urgent, joint discussions with the government about potential changes to make the scheme fair for everyone."

The Local Democracy Reporting Service said Trafford council leader Andrew Western had told the meeting: "We are still legally directed to achieve compliance in the shortest time possible and not later than 2024 and we have a moral obligation to do so too.

"But there is undoubtedly a real concern coming through from the evidence that we've seen and also anecdotally from smaller businesses in the conurbation that they do want to upgrade, but they're struggling to, in some cases, replace."

CAZs are designed to encourage people to drive less-polluting vehicles, including those powered by electric, and more modern petrol and diesels.