Greater Manchester Clean Air Plan to tackle nitrogen dioxide

Greater Manchester is considering introducing a Clean Air Zone with supporting measures, to tackle high illegal levels of nitrogen dioxide in the air. Road transport is responsible for 80% of the roadside nitrogen dioxide with the greatest contribution coming from diesel vehicles.

A four page document has been produced (that can be viewed below under downloadable documents) which provides an overview of why it is necessary to consider proposals to improve the air quality in our region. Public Health England estimate that poor air quality contributes to an equivalent on 1,200 deaths a year in Greater Manchester, plays a part in breathing illnesses, heart disease, stroke and even some cancers. Poor air quality particularly affects the vulnerable such as the elderly, sick, poor and children. 

In order to tackle this issue and ensure compliance with legal limits of nitrogen dioxide in the air government has instructed eight out of the ten Greater Manchester authorities to undertake a feasibility study into how it can bring about compliance in the shortest possible time.

Commenting on the bringing forward by two years of plans to include vans in Greater Manchester’s Clean Air Zone, Mags Simpson, FTA’s Head of Policy for Northern England, said: “While the logistics sector is fully committed to reducing vehicle emissions wherever possible and acknowledges the role the industry must play in improving the air quality of our cities, allowing only 18 months in which Manchester’s van operators must become compliant before the introduction of the authority’s Clean Air Zone is simply an additional tax on the area’s small businesses.  

“The original proposals placed before government allowed time for vehicles to be replaced or upgraded but the new plan outlined today will force operators into acquiring costly new vehicles ahead of their standard replacement cycle or into a regime of punitive daily charges.  It is essential that an air quality scheme for Greater Manchester is developed with the needs of businesses that serve the area in mind, not one which drives up operating costs for small businesses and unfairly penalises the hardworking individuals and businesses which keep Greater Manchester’s economy thriving.”