Manchester City Council are considering a Low Emissions Zone within the City Centre as part of a range of measures to combat air pollution in the City.
In a motion, proposed by Cllr Aftab Razaq,which was agreed by a meeting of all city councillors at a meeting on Wednesday, the council have requested that a feasibility study to be carried out, to understand how such a zone could work in practice, while also investigating the potential for the prohibition of through-traffic inside the Inner Ring Road.
The motion states that poor air quality is the largest environmental risk to public health in the UK, with air pollution estimated to contribute to the equivalent of 181 deaths in Manchester every year.
Greater Manchester’s ten authorities have collectively submitted proposals for a region-wide Clean Air Zone (CAZ) to the government, with the aim of improving air quality in the shortest possible time.
The current CAZ plan outlines proposed daily charges for non-compliant HGVs, vans, buses, coaches, taxis and private hire vehicles to drive in the zone, but private cars are not included. It also includes a package of support measures, including a number of “clean vehicle funds”, to help affected local businesses upgrade to cleaner vehicles.
The motion called on the government to respond to GM’s Clean Air plan proposals for clean vehicle funds and to clarify the legal criteria under which the plan will be assessed.
The motion also asked the council to work with local schools to introduce enforceable no vehicle-idling zones. The council will now start a process of consulting with schools, with the intention of bringing at least four pilot zones into force by spring 2020.
It is illegal to leave a vehicle’s engine running unnecessarily while stationary on a public road and under current regulations, a £20 fixed penalty notice can be imposed on a driver who fails to turn off their engine, if they refuse when asked to do so by a council officer. The council’s motion calls upon the government to urgently launch a public consultation on proposals to toughen up the penalties for idling.
In accordance with the motion, the council will work with local NHS partners and other care providers, to examine how existing no-idling zones outside medical buildings, in hospital pick-up areas and outside care homes can be extended.
The motion was proposed by Cllr Aftab Razaq who urged Prime Minister Boris Johnson to ‘put the money where his mouth is’ and back councils who are trying to tackle air pollution.
He said that poor air quality is the largest environmental risk to public health in the UK, with air pollution estimated to contribute to the equivalent of 181 deaths in Manchester every year.
Executive Member for the Environment, Planning and Transport, Councillor Angeliki Stogia, said:
“Manchester must urgently tackle the issue of toxic air, which harms us all and is the most serious environmental risk to public health we currently face. To do this, we need to look at all possible ways in which we can reduce emissions, reduce harmful air pollution and improve the quality of life for people who live in every part of the city, including the city centre.
