Agenda item

Report from Cabinet Member for Environment, Climate Change and Operations attached.

Councillor Quinn, Cabinet Member for Environment, Climate Change and Operations attended and provided an overview Greater Manchester Clean Air Plan. The report sets out the case for a new Greater Manchester Clean Air Plan and Greater Manchester’s annual mean standards for NO2 in 2021.

The Health Scrutiny Committee were asked to note the 'Case for a new Greater Manchester Clean Air Plan’ document has been submitted to the Secretary of State as a draft document subject to any comments from Bury Council ahead of the next Air Quality Administration Committee.

During discussion of this item members sought assurance on the change from the Government revoked the direction requiring the implementation of a category C charging zone. In response Councillor Quinn advised that as a result of legal action, in July 2017 the Secretary of State issued a Direction under the Environment Act 1995 requiring seven Greater Manchester local authorities, to produce a feasibility study to identify the option which will deliver compliance with the requirement to meet legal limits for nitrogen dioxide in the shortest possible time.  In Greater Manchester (GM) Authorities have worked together to develop a Clean Air Plan to tackle NO₂ Exceedances at the Roadside, referred to as GM CAP. Following Government guidance a best performing option was identified within an Outline Business Case (OBC) for further consideration and discussion with stakeholders and the public to aid the development of the Full Business Case.

In March 2019 the GM Authorities agreed the submission of the OBC that proposed a package of measures that was considered would deliver compliance in Greater Manchester in the shortest possible time, at the lowest cost, least risk and with the least negative impacts. This involved a Charging Clean Air Zone Class C with additional measures.

In July 2019 the Secretary of State issued a direction under section 85 of the Environment Act 1995 requiring the 10 GM local authorities to implement the local plan for NO₂ compliance for the areas for which they were responsible, including a Charging Clean Air Zone Class C with additional measures, but with an obligation to provide further options appraisal information to demonstrate the applicable class of charging clean air zone and other matters to provide assurance that the local plan would deliver compliance in the shortest possible time and by 2024 at the latest.

Councillor Birchmore questioned the ANPR cameras purpose; in response Councillor Quinn advised the ANPR cameras that have been installed can be utilised for data capture which would allow the Greater Manchester authorities to better understand vehicle fleet currently in operation, and their associated emissions. Using this data allows us to understand how vehicle fleets have naturally renewed over the course of the project, and whether the impacts of Covid-19 has altered typical cycles. Where ANPR cameras are located adjacent to air quality monitoring, additional analysis can be undertaken to be understand how specific vehicle types might be contributing to overall emissions.

Councillor Bernstein sought clarification on recommendation 6; in response Councillor Quinn advised It means we are keen to work with Department for Transport to consider an appropriate regulatory device which would require that all private hire journeys within GM to be undertaken by a driver and vehicle which are both licensed by one of the 10 GM local authorities. Councillor Bernstein asked for a written response to how this would work for out of borough residents wishing to commute into the Borough or into Greater Manchester with a local taxi company.

Councillor Birchmore questioned the equipment reliability that provides the data for all measurements of traffic pollution levels over the last five years. In response Councillor Quinn advised we are always keen to make all our air quality monitoring results available to our communities and other interested parties. The Bury Council website you mention is currently being updated to include the 2021 results and in addition to this, the following data is also available

·         All the real-time data recorded at our 3 automatic monitoring sites is all available at uk-air.defra.gov.uk/data.

·         All our diffusion tube annual results are available at https://cleanairgm.com/data-hub/diffusion-tubes.

In response to questions Councillor Quinn assured Committee members that Greater Manchester leaders have committed to a participatory approach to the development of the new Plan to ensure the proposals are well-grounded in evidence in terms of the circumstances of affected groups and possible impacts of the Plan on them, and therefore the deliverability and effectiveness of that Plan.  Jacqui Dennis, Monitoring Officer clarified this will be subject to public consultation.