Agenda item

·         A report from Councillor Alan Quinn – Cabinet Member Environment, Climate Change and Operations in respect of Greater Manchester Clean Air Plan is attached.

·         A report from Councillor Alan Quinn – Cabinet Member Environment, Climate Change and Operations in respect of Climate Strategy is attached.

·                     (A) Councillor Alan Quinn, Cabinet Member Environment, Climate Change and Operations provided an overview of the Clean Air Plan, an accompanying report had been circulated to Members in advance of the meeting.

The proposed final GM Clean Air Plan sets out final proposals for:

1. The boundary, hours of operation, management of the scheme, discounts, exemptions and daily charges of a Clean Air Zone;
2. The amount of supporting funds for each vehicle type; and
3. Other supporting measures.

Questions and comments were invited from Members of the Committee and the following issues were raised:

Responding to Councillor Birchmore, Councillor Quinn, Cabinet Member Environment, Climate Change and Operations reported; that air quality monitoring work is overseen by the Government’s Joint Air Quality Unit and their Independent Technical Review Panel.  The air quality modelling has been undertaken following published national best practice guidance. Both bodies have looked in detail at Greater Manchester’s modelling throughout the development of the Plans and endorsed the work, concluding that a clean air zone is required to achieve compliance.

For economic and practical reasons Local Authorities are advised to monitor air quality using both continuous automatic analysers and diffusion tubes. This enables the much wider spread of monitoring using multiple diffusion tube sites, alongside the greater accuracy of the continuous automatic analysers. It is the annual average nitrogen dioxide target that we have an issue with and the diffusion tubes offer a low cost practical means for measuring annual concentrations. 

Alongside our existing network of monitoring sites this year a new automatic real time analyser we will be installed at Bury Bridge, a busy road section predicted to be the last site in Bury to meet the nitrogen dioxide target. This should give a good indication of when the Borough is meeting the objectives.  

The Base Year used for this project was 2016 which was the latest available data. The monitoring data from years 2020/2021 which have been most directly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic have not formed part of the baseline appraisal process.

Responding to Councillor Vernon, the TfGM representative reported that a driver of a non-compliant vehicle would be charged for driving within the Clean Air Zone each day. However, these are the only charges they would face for a 48-hour period, they could make multiple trips in the CAZ.

Councillor Quinn, Cabinet Member Environment, Climate Change and Operations reported that the anticipated cost to small businesses is dependent on their individual circumstances and business model.

In terms of the cost of upgrade, this will depend on the circumstances of the vehicle owner in terms of the value of their existing vehicle and their choice of upgrade.

For market traders, who are likely to own an LGV, there is a temporary exemption to 31 May 2023 to support LGV owners to upgrade.  As well as this, the funding amounts for their financial support has increased for larger LGVs and a retrofit grant is also available for the models eligible for retrofit.

For the taxi trade, there is a temporary exemption to 31 May 2023 to support PHV and hackney carriage owners to upgrade. As well as this, in some cases, the funding amounts for financial support has increased, this is following feedback from the consultation. 

Responding to Councillor McGill Councillor Quinn, Cabinet Member Environment, Climate Change and Operations reported that air pollution kills 1200 in Greater Manchester every year. 

The Cabinet Member Environment, Climate Change and Operations reported that there were no exceedances of air quality limits in 2020. In 2019 there were 6 monitoring sites that did not meet the limit value for annual average of nitrogen dioxide. 

Responding to Councillor Smith; the TfGM representative reported that there are grant conditions attached to any funds given to the bus companies to ensure that the buses continue to operate in Greater Manchester.  The Mayor of Manchester has indicated his intention to move to a franchise bus system across Greater Manchester the proposals are on hold until the outcome of a judicial review.

·                     (B) Councillor Alan Quinn, Cabinet Member Environment, Climate Change and Operations had circulated a Climate Strategy for Members consideration in advance of the meeting.

It was agreed:

(1)       The Cabinet member and officers be thanked for their attendance.

(2)       The Climate Strategy item will be deferred for consideration at a future meeting.