The saga of Greater Manchester’s Clean Air Zone charging signs is coming to an end with council’s starting to take down the 1,300 signs that cover the area
The controversial scheme was put on hold back in 2022 and then earlier this year the Government approved the region’s clean air plan which banished all talk of charging zones
However the Clean Air Zone ANPR cameras, originally installed to monitor pollution, have been used by police to help crack down on crime. A public consultation in September 2025 will ask residents about transferring camera ownership to Greater Manchester Police, allowing them to use the intelligence to solve serious and violent crimes
The move comes as Newly-released figures show that air pollution dropped again in 2024 in the city region.
In 2018, 129 places where air quality is measured had illegal levels of nitrogen dioxide. Having been reduced to 64 in 2023, it fell further in 2024 to 38.
The next meeting of the Greater Manchester Air Quality Administration Committee on 31 July will provide an update on progress to make the city-region greener, with some key matters to be considered, including Clean Air Plan-funded zero emission buses
The first 20 of a further 40 electric buses, funded by the GM Clean Air Plan agreed with government in January, are already on our roads.
It is anticipated that an £8 million Hackney Support Fund could open in November 2025, when eligible GM-licensed hackney carriage owners will be able to apply for proposed grants of up to £12,560 to upgrade to cleaner vehicles.
This follows the launch of Greater Manchester’s ‘Backing our taxis. Local. Licensed. Trusted.’ campaign in April, which included a review of the approach to licensing and engagement with the taxi trade. A report on the review will also be submitted to the GMCA in autumn.
Local authorities are also extending the emission standards compliance date to 31 December 2026, giving all hackney carriage and private hire vehicle license holders more time to upgrade their vehicles, to help with the transition.Days
Cllr Eamonn O’Brien, Leader of Bury Council and Clean Air lead for Greater Manchester, said:
“We’ve always been focused on doing what’s right for Greater Manchester, and by accelerating investment in our public transport network, we’re showing that it’s possible to improve air quality faster than if a charging Clean Air Zone had been introduced.
“Investment in the Bee Network is enabling more people to choose cleaner, greener ways to get around – like public transport and walking or cycling – instead of driving.
“As we deliver our Clean Air Plan alongside the Bee Network, with support from the government, we’ll roll out the UK’s first fully integrated, zero-emission public transport system by the end of the decade and improve the air we all breathe for generations to come.”
