Greater Manchester Clean Air Zone: PM and mayor clash over plans

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

A row has broken out over Greater Manchester's proposed scheme to cut emissions after the prime minister said it was "completely unworkable".

The planned Clean Air Zone (CAZ) could see some vehicles face daily charges.

Speaking at Prime Minister's Questions, Boris Johnson said the plan "by the Labour mayor" would "do damage to businesses and residents".

However, Mayor Andy Burnham said he had "never been the instigator nor the final decision maker in this scheme".

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

The government has been calling on regional authorities to introduce CAZs since the UK's highest court, the Supreme Court, ordered ministers in 2015 to take immediate action to cut air pollution.

From 30 May, some vehicles in Greater Manchester, but not private cars, could be charged between £7.50 and £60 daily.

'Repeated concerns'

Questioning the prime minster earlier, the Conservative MP for Leigh, James Grundy, said the scheme was "effectively a congestion charge" and "a job-destroying tax".

"We all want clean air but the model proposed by Mayor Burnham is unworkable and economically devastating," he added.

Mr Johnson said such plans should not "unjustly penalise" anyone and it had "become clear the scheme proposed by the Labour mayor in Greater Manchester is completely unworkable and will do damage to businesses and residents in Manchester".

"We must find an alternative that doesn't punish local residents," he added.

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Responding, Mr Burnham said the CAZ plan was based on a "legal direction from the government requiring action by no later than 2024" and the "nature" of the direction and the "tight timetable" had shaped the proposal.

"By setting a compliance date of 2024, straight after a pandemic, it is his government's legal direction that is unworkable," he said.

He said Greater Manchester's leaders had "repeatedly raised concerns" about the level of funding being offered to help people upgrade vehicles.

He added that he was "not and have never been the instigator nor the final decision maker in this scheme" and the government had "initiated it".

Mr Burnham has already asked the environment secretary to delay full implementation of the scheme until 2027, which he said would "provide the opportunity to make significant changes... to allow supply chain issues and market conditions to stabilise whilst finding more effective ways to achieve compliance".