Decision details

GREATER MANCHESTER CLEAN AIR FINAL PLAN

Decision status: Recommendations Approved

Is Key decision?: Yes

Is subject to call in?: Yes

Decision:

1. That the progress of the Greater Manchester Clean Air Plan be noted.

 

2. That the progress in the distribution of Bus Retrofit funding be noted.

 

3. That Ministers’ agreement be noted to include the sections of the A628/A57 in Tameside which form part of the Strategic Road Network within the Greater Manchester’s Clean Air Zone (CAZ) and their request for Tameside MBC, TfGM and Highways England to establish the most appropriate solution for the charging mechanism to be applied on this section of the Strategic Road Network (SRN).

 

4. That it be recommended to Council that it approves the GM Clean Air Plan Policy, at Appendix 1 to the report, noting that the policy outlines the boundary, discounts, exemptions, daily charges of the Clean Air Zone as well as the financial support packages offered towards upgrading to a compliant vehicle, including the eligibility criteria to be applied.

 

5. That the Equalities Impact Assessment, as set out at Appendix 2 to the report, be agreed.

 

6. That the AECOM Consultation Report, as set out at Appendix 3 to the report, be agreed.

 

7. That agreement be given to the proposed Response to the Consultation at Appendix 4 to the report which has been prepared by TfGM on behalf of the ten GM local authorities.

 

8. That the Impacts of COVID-19 Report, as set out at Appendix 5 to the report, be agreed.

 

9. That the Modelling report of the final CAP package be agreed, as set out at Appendix 6 to the report, and in particular that the modelling outputs of the final plan scheme show the achievement of compliance with the legal limits for Nitrogen Dioxide in the shortest possible time and by 2024 at the latest as required by the Ministerial Direction.

 

10. That the economic implications of the CAP Report, as set out at Appendix 7 to the report, be agreed.

 

11. That the update be noted on the GM Minimum Licensing Standards, set out in section 3.1 of the report, and in particular that licensing conditions will not be used to support delivery of the GM Clean Air Plan.

 

12. That approval be given to a 6-week public consultation on the inclusion of motorhomes classified as MSP1 in the GM Clean Air Zone and on the inclusion of the A575 and A580 at Worsley commencing on 1 September 2021 and that authority be delegated to the Corporate Director, Place in consultation with the Director of Public Health, to approve the consultation materials.

 

13. That it be noted that the GM Clean Air Charging Authorities Committee has the authority to make the Charging Scheme Order which establishes the GM Charging Scheme in line with the agreed GM Clean Air Plan Policy.

 

14. That it be noted that the GM Charging Authorities Committee has the authority to vary the Charging Scheme Order if this is established as the most appropriate charging mechanism to be applied on sections of the A628/A57 part of the Strategic Road Network (SRN) in Tameside.

 

15. That it be noted that the Air Quality Administration Committee has the authority to agree the final form of the Operational Agreement for the Central Clean Air Service, and to authorise the making of the Agreement, on behalf of the ten GM local authorities.

 

16. That it be noted that the Air Quality Administration Committee has the authority to:

  1. establish and distribute the funds set out in the agreed GM Clean Air Plan policy;
  2. approve the assessment mechanism agreed with JAQU to ensure that Clean Air Funds can be adapted if necessary;
  3. keep the use of the funds under review and to determine any changes in the amounts allocated to each and their use and
  4. Monitor and evaluate the joint local charging scheme.

 

17. That the reallocation be approved of funding from the Try Before You Buy scheme to provide additional electric vehicle charging points dedicated for use by taxis.

 

18. That authority be delegated to the GM Charging Authorities Committee to determine the outcome of the consultation on both the inclusion of motorhomes classified as MSP1 within the scope of Clean Air Zone charges and on the inclusion in the GM Clean Air Zone of the A575 and A580 at Worsley following the conclusion of that consultation.

 

19. That the Clean Air Zone ANPR and signage locations, as set out at Appendix 10 to the report, be agreed.

 

20. That a delegation be agreed to the Corporate Director, Place in consultation with the Director of Public Health, to approve the submission of the Interim Full Business Case if required and the Full Business Case (FBC) to the Government's Joint Air Quality Unit to support the GM Clean Air Plan and any supplementary information to that Unit.

Reasons for the decision:

To ensure the Clean Air Plan is properly defined and implemented in line with the other authorities across Greater Manchester.

Alternative options considered:

The Council could decide to not implement the Clean Air Plan. However, all 10 Greater Manchester districts including Trafford Council are legally required by the ministerial direction dated March 2020 to implement the Plan. If the Council did not implement the Plan then it would be in breach of the ministerial direction. In addition if the Council did not implement the Clean Air Plan it would lose the opportunity to improve its air quality which would have a negative impact on the health of its citizens. It would also lose the Government funding support to implement the scheme.

Publication date: 29/07/2021

Date of decision: 26/07/2021

Decided at meeting: 26/07/2021 - Executive

Effective from: 06/08/2021

Accompanying Documents: