Greater Manchester’s leaders are calling on fleets to make sure they have their say in two major public consultations to help shape the city-region’s final plans to tackle air pollution.
Businesses have until 3 December to add their views on proposals for funding to help them transition to cleaner vehicles ahead of Manchester’s proposed Clean Air Zone (CAZ) being introduced in the Spring of 2022.
The £150m funding pot includes £98m to help fleets with vans, HGVs, coaches and minibuses switch to cleaner vehicles.
Private hire and taxi drivers could get up to £28m to help them make the switch, while small businesses and sole traders would get £10m and bus operators would get £25m.
A separate Hardship Fund is also being proposed to offer the option of a lump sum grant or a finance contribution towards the acquisition of a compliant vehicle. This will be aimed at the individuals, companies and organisations that are considered to be most economically vulnerable to the impact of CAZ vehicle upgrade requirements.
Under the proposals for Manchester's CAZ, the most polluting HGVs, buses, coaches, taxis and private hire vehicles would pay a daily charge to travel in Greater Manchester.
Non-compliant vans and minibuses will be exempt from CAZ daily charges until 2023 to give vehicle owners more time to upgrade, as will wheelchair-accessible taxis and private hire vehicles, and Greater Manchester-registered coaches.
You can find out more and submit views at cleanairgm.com and gmtaxistandards.com.
