Following the announcement that central government have allowed Greater Manchester to delay the implementation of its proposed Clean Air Zone until after further consultation later this year and to extend the deadline by which air quality must improve by two years, Cllr Mark Roberts, shadow spokesperson for Clean Air policy and roll out, said: “Whilst we welcome a pause to the implementation of the flawed Clean Air Zone whilst the Conservative government and Labour-led GM Combined Authority work a way out of the mess they have created, no one can be pleased that the chaos they have made between them will further delay the delivery of clean air in our region, given it is responsible for 1,200 premature deaths each year.
“The supply-side issues in the automotive industry have been warned about all along, and government have repeatedly ignored local requests for a hardship scheme and adequate, fair support for local businesses to be able to convert to cleaner vehicles.”
Cllr Mark Hunter, Leader of the Lib Dems at Stockport Town Hall, added: “It’s hard to see how our national and regional leaders could have brought about a worse situation than the chaos they’ve created around the Clean Air Zone. Nobody knows what will happen next, who will be charged or what support will be available. Businesses, especially our local small and medium enterprises, cannot plan their investment in this climate.
“The Conservative minister urgently needs to get around the table with local Labour leaders in Greater Manchester and agree a fair and comprehensive package of support which will enable us to deliver the health savings clean air will bring whilst at the same time supporting local businesses through this very challenging time.”
