Greater Manchester has unveiled a comprehensive plan to meet legal air quality standards ahead of schedule, eliminating the need for a charging Clean Air Zone (CAZ). New modelling indicates that the region can achieve compliance with nitrogen dioxide limits by 2025 through strategic investments and initiatives, bypassing the government-mandated CAZ.
Building on the successful Bee Network initiative, Greater Manchester’s proposal leverages existing clean air funding from the government to implement a £51.2 million investment in zero-emission electric buses. Additionally, £30.5 million will be allocated to grants supporting cleaner taxis, and £5 million will fund traffic flow management measures in central Manchester and Salford.
The ten local authorities within Greater Manchester are under a legal obligation to reduce nitrogen dioxide levels promptly, with a final deadline set for 2026. In response, they are preparing to submit evidence in December advocating for their investment-led, non-charging approach. This plan has been benchmarked against the proposed CAZ, revealing that the latter would fail to achieve the necessary compliance by the government’s target date.
Greater Manchester’s strategy ensures that no vehicles will incur charges for operating within a Clean Air Zone, a key advantage highlighted by the modelling results. By bringing bus operations back under local control, the region can deploy the cleanest vehicles where they are most needed, effectively tackling poor air quality. The introduction of zero-emission electric buses is already underway, demonstrating the plan’s immediate impact.
The future of air quality management in Greater Manchester now rests with the government, which must decide between endorsing the region’s preferred non-charging, investment-led plan or implementing the charging Clean Air Zone. The local authorities remain confident that their strategy will not only meet but exceed the required air quality standards without imposing additional burdens on drivers.