Issue - meetings

Report to follow

The Cabinet gave consideration to a report of the Deputy Chief Executive, People and Place which set out the proposed Greater Manchester Final Clean Air Plan and policy following a review of all of the information gathered through the GM CAP consultation and wider data, evidence and modelling work which is to be agreed by the ten Greater Manchester local authorities.

In Greater Manchester, the ten GM local authorities, the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) and Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), collectively referred to as “GM”, had worked together to develop a Clean Air Plan to tackle NO2 Exceedances at the Roadside, referred to as GM CAP.

This report set out the progress made on the GM Clean Air Plan, the report was supported by the following documents which are proposed and subject to approval by the ten GM local authorities:

Appendix 1 – GM CAP Policy following Consultation

Appendix 2 – GM CAP Equality Impact Assessment following Consultation

Appendix 3 – AECOM Consultation Report

Appendix 4 – Response to the Consultation

Appendix 5 – Impacts of COVID-19 Report

Appendix 6 – Air Quality Modelling Report following Consultation and with COVID-19 impacts

Appendix 7 – Economic Implications of CAP following Consultation and with COVID-19 impacts

Appendix 8 – Update on Other Cities’ Clean Air Plans

Appendix 9 – Compliance with the Secretary of State’s Direction

Appendix 10 – Clean Air Zone, ANPR and Signage Locations

The proposed final GM Clean Air Plan set out final proposals for:

the boundary, hours of operation, management of the scheme, discounts, exemptions and daily charges of a Clean Air Zone;

the amount of supporting funds for each vehicle type; and

other supporting measures.

The proposed final GM CAP policy, which was summarised in this report, and attached at Appendix 1. In relation to the Clean Air Zone (CAZ), it covered the operation and management of the GM CAZ. The anticipated implementation date of the charging CAZ was Monday 30 May 2022 when the charges would apply to non-compliant buses, HGVs, and Hackney Carriages and Private Hire Vehicles licensed outside of Greater Manchester.  Non-compliant LGVs, minibuses and coaches, and GM-licensed Hackney Carriages and Private Hire Vehicles would be subject to the charges from 1 June 2023 when a temporary exemption expires. 

The boundary of the CAZ would cover the whole of Greater Manchester excluding the strategic Road Network (SRN) which is managed by Highways England. The daily charges remain the same as at consultation. Lower charges would mean more people are likely to pay the charge, rather than upgrade their vehicle, which would impose costs onto businesses without delivering air quality benefits. Improved support to businesses is proposed to provide a better mitigation than lower charges. One such mitigation is extended temporary exemptions, which include all LGVs and minibuses, GM-licensed hackney carriages and Private Hire Vehicles (PHVs) and all coaches. These exemptions are now proposed to be in place until 31 May 2023. Providing a full 12-month exemption, gives those with non-compliant vehicles more time  ...  view the full minutes text for item 13