Greater Manchester has put forward its case for scrapping charges in a revised Clean Air Zone plan submitted to the government today (July 1). The controversial scheme, which would have seen commercial vehicles with the highest emissions charged up to £60 a day to drive on the region's roads, was due to come into force in May, but was paused following a public backlash.
Earlier this year, the government agreed to delay the deadline by which air pollution must be brought down below legal limits by two years to 2026. It comes after evidence emerged of sharp rises in prices of new vans caused by Covid-related supply chain issues in the market, meaning motorists unable to upgrade vehicles would be stuck with a tax and the air would not be cleaner.
Since then, local leaders have said the city-region's air can be cleaned up before the new deadline without the need for charging any vehicles at all. Instead, they say offering owners of the most polluting buses, lorries and taxis cash to upgrade their vehicles will be enough to achieve air quality compliance.
