Greater Manchester Clean Air Zone restrictions unfair to bordering councils

 

Rossendale Council leader Alyson Barnes along with colleagues at three other Lancashire Councils have written to Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham expressing their concerns over the impact of the proposed Greater Manchester Clean Air Zone on local businesses. 

The first phase of the Clean Air Zone is due to launch on 30 May 2022 affecting buses, HGVs, taxis and private hire vehicles licensed outside Greater Manchester which don’t meet emission standards. Most vehicles in Greater Manchester are not affected and private cars mopeds or motorbikes are not included. 

Provision has been made to help businesses in Greater Manchester make the transition and ease the cost but as yet there is nothing in place to assist those regions that immediately border Greater Manchester. 

Alyson Barnes said: “All our local areas are committed to dealing with the climate emergency and have ambitious plans in place to address this in our areas. We don’t object to the concept of the clean air zone, ultimately it’s something we all want. All we are requesting is some parity with what is being made available to Greater Manchester businesses.” 

Greater Manchester based businesses will be eligible for grants towards the cost of replacing or retrofitting their vehicles so that they do not have to pay the levy but there is expected to be no such help on offer for vehicle owners located just outside the zone – even if their work regularly causes them to enter it. 

Cllr Barnes added: “Many of our local taxi drivers live in Greater Manchester and will have to pay the charge daily to come to work in Rossendale. Many of our businesses rely on HGV transport, delivering into Greater Manchester and see themselves as integral to the Greater Manchester economy. The introduction of the Clean Air Zone will disproportionately impact small businesses and sole traders living on the borders of, and regularly travelling into Greater Manchester.” 

The Lancashire leaders are asking for consideration to be given to: 

• Opening up the support grant criteria to individuals/businesses if their work regularly causes them to enter Greater Manchester. 
• Looking again at the exemptions for carbon reduction adaptations. This technology reduces emissions by 90% but is currently not accepted in the proposals for exemption. (Rossendale currently support taxis to be retrofitted with Atmos EX01 Clear Hydrogen Kits)
• Overall parity and fairness between businesses in Greater Manchester and those neighbouring authorities – this may not be possible in terms of government grant funding, but implementation timelines should not give businesses in Greater Manchester an unfair competitive advantage.

Cllr Barnes along with the other council leaders from Blackburn with Darwen, West Lancashire and Chorley have requested a meeting with Andy Burnham to discuss their concerns.