Greater Manchester leaders agreed on Friday to take forward a new low emission strategy and air quality action plan for the city.

 

Measures to be pursued by the Combined Authority include stimulating the uptake of ultra low emission vehicles, possibly through a scrappage scheme or restricting access for certain vehicles to parts of the city.

 

Manchester may also introduce a Clean Air Zone by targeting high emission vehicles and has pledged to renew its bus fleet. It will also work with the freight logistics sector to explore the feasibility of introducing urban distribution or consolidation centres to intercept larger vehicles and allow city centre deliveries to be carried out by low emission vehicles.

 

The city also looks set to increase the number of electric vehicle charging points, develop further cycling infrastructure and promote a travel choices programme to increase use of public transport, cycling and walking.

 

Greater Manchester’s Interim Mayor Tony Lloyd said: “Air quality and carbon emissions are two of the key challenges facing Greater Manchester. They not only cause significant harm to the environment but can also cause respiratory illness, cardiovascular disease and some cancers.

 

“It is imperative that we act now,” he added. “Our new measures and policies will help to clean up our environment and improve life for people in Greater Manchester.”

 

Transport for Greater Manchester chief executive Dr Jon Lamonte said: “Ultimately we need to make low emission behaviours an important part of our culture and lifestyles. That will require the commitment of a range of organisations as we continue to grow as one of the UK’s foremost city regions.”

 

Both the low emission strategy and air quality action plan will be taken forward alongside the Greater Manchester Transport Strategy 2040 – a draft of which is currently out for public consultation.

 

(Photo: Alvey & Towers)