Agenda item

Consideration was given to a report of the Deputy Chief Executive which set out the progress that had been made on the development of Greater Manchester’s Clean Air Plan following a public consultation on proposals that were developed pre-COVID-19 and the link to taxi and private hire common minimum licensing standards.

In Greater Manchester, the 10 local authorities, the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) and Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM), collectively referred to as “Greater Manchester” or “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 of the GM CAP and the next steps for the development of the Clean Air Plan and the closely linked Minimum Licensing Standards (MLS) for taxi and private hire services.

Since the last report there has been no confirmation or offer of government funding for LGVs or hackneys, or the taxi and private hire electric vehicle charge points.

Government ministers have agreed to consider extending Greater Manchester’s Clean Air Zone (CAZ) charges to the sections of the A628/A57 in Tameside which form part of the Strategic Road Network, within the proposed CAZ boundary. The extension of any charges to the A628/A57 will be subject to a full assessment of the potential impacts, to be led by Highways England. Following the assessment ministers will take the final decision on whether or not charging should be implemented on the A628/A57.

GM was awarded £14.7m of funding for the retrofitting of buses, and this work commenced in December 2020. GM’s bus retrofit fund offers operators of locally registered bus services up to £16k of funding per vehicle towards the retrofit of non-compliant buses. The funding is available for vehicles, including minibuses and coaches, operating on a registered bus service within Greater Manchester. This includes cross-boundary services operating within the GM CAZ boundary.

The report also set out:

• The near-term impacts of COVID-19 government restrictions on movement on air quality, how air quality was legally monitored, and how the Government has directed GM (and other areas) under UK law to address exceedance of the Annual Average standard for NO₂ which is set at 40 ug/m3.
• Following the conclusion of the consultation, both GM CAP and MLS consultation responses were being analysed and reported on by an independent research agency. GM authorities would fully consider all of the information and evidence gathered during the consultation, to develop an understanding of the consequences COVID-19 has had on vehicle owners and trades which would be directly affected by the GM CAP and MLS.
• The work TfGM was undertaking on behalf of the ten Greater Manchester Authorities in the preparatory implementation and contract arrangements required to deliver the CAZ and other GM CAP measures. Preparatory work was required in order to maintain delivery momentum in line with the funding arrangements agreed with JAQU, for example in relation to automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras, back office systems and service providers.
• The consultation approach, engagement activity, additional research undertaken and the number of responses to both the GM CAP and MLS consultations.
• The governance approach to both GM CAP and MLS, with the GM CAP final plan to be brought forward for decision makers as soon as was reasonably practicable and no later than summer 2021, and the outputs of the MLS to be reported alongside the GM CAP at the same time.

Due to the dynamic context of COVID-19 and national and regional/local lockdowns, progress on the development of the final plan would be provided by the Green City Region Lead, as required at GMCA meetings.

Options/alternatives considered

Option 1 – Approve the recommendations

Option 2 – Not to approve the recommendations

RESOLVED – That:

1. The progress of Greater Manchester Clean Air Plan be noted.
2. The next steps for the development of the Clean Air Plan and Minimum Licensing Standards, listed at Section 12 of the report be noted.
3. The distribution of Bus Retrofit funding commenced in December 2020 be noted.
4. The decision of Government ministers to consider extending Greater Manchester’s Clean Air Zone (CAZ) charges to the sections of the A628/A57 which formed part of the Strategic Road Network, within the proposed CAZ boundary, subject to the outcomes of an assessment, which was expected to be completed by early 2021 be noted.
5. The GM Clean Air Plan was required to take action tackle nitrogen dioxide exceedances until compliance with the legal limits has been demonstrated and that the nearer term influence of COVID-19 on air quality was not expected to lead to sufficiently long term reductions in pollution such that the exceedances of the legal limits of nitrogen dioxide would not occur without implementing a Clean Air Zone;
6. The GM CAP final plan would be brought forward for decision makers as soon as was reasonably practicable and no later than summer 2021;
7. The outputs of the MLS would be reported alongside the GM CAP as soon was reasonably practicable and no later than summer 2021.
8. The establishment of joint committees for the purposes as set out in this report at paragraph 9.5 and the terms of reference, as set out in Appendix 6 of the report be agreed.
9. The Cabinet Member, Neighbourhoods and Culture, Cllr B Brownridge, be appointed to sit on both committees for purposes as set out in this report at paragraph 9.5 with specific terms of reference, as set out in Appendix 6 of the report.
10. The Deputy Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods and Culture be appointed Cllr A Ur-Rehman, as substitute for both committees for purpose as set out in this report at paragraph at 9.5 with specific terms of reference, as set out at Appendix 6.

11. Oldham Council agrees to enter into a collaboration agreement with the other 9 GM local authorities and GMCA/TfGM to clarify the rights, responsibilities and obligations of the authorities in relation to those contracts set out in Appendix 2 that are required to maintain delivery momentum in line with JAQU funding agreements.
12. A delegation to the Deputy Chief Executive and Cabinet Member, Neighbourhoods and Cultureto agree the final form of the collaboration agreement and to approve the submission of supplementary information to the Government's Joint Air Quality Unit (JAQU) be agreed.
13. A delegation to Deputy Chief Executive and Cabinet Member, Neighbourhoods and Culture to award the contracts set out in Appendix 2 (subject to government funding) that were required to implement a charging Clean Air Zone in Spring 2022 to ensure the achievement of Nitrogen Dioxide compliance in the shortest possible time and by 2024 at the latest as required by the Ministerial Direction be agreed.