Manchester to consider city centre Ultra Low Emissions Zone

Manchester City Council has passed a motion calling for the consideration of an Ultra Low Emissions Zone within the city’s Inner Relief Route.

Agreed by a meeting of all city councillors, the motion requests 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.  

Greater Manchester’s 10 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.

Manchester City Council’s 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. It 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.

Angeliki Stogia, executive member for the Environment, Planning and Transport, said: “We’ve contributed to Greater Manchester’s Clean Air Zone plans, which include a request for clean vehicle funds to allow existing vehicles to be upgraded, but we are still waiting for a government decision on how this will be taken forward. Doing nothing in the meantime is not an option, if the city is going to clean up its air and meet its ambitious zero-carbon goal by 2038.

“Introducing enforceable no-idling zones around schools is a common-sense way to help tackle air pollution, protect our young people and reduce carbon emissions. Engines which are left running cause pollution that affects both passers-by and people inside the car itself. We know from talking to residents across the city that this must be addressed urgently."