Published: Monday, 28th Sep 2020

Residents are being urged to have their say as Greater Manchester gears up for two major public consultations on plans to clean up air quality and introduce a new set of standards for the taxi trade.

The GM Clean Air Plan includes introducing a government mandated Clean Air Zone (CAZ) across the region in 2022. Meanwhile plans for Minimum Licensing Standards for taxi and private hire drivers, vehicles and operators are also being proposed.

An eight-week consultation period will run from Thursday 8 October to Thursday 3 December 2020 – and Bolton residents, businesses and impacted groups can have their say.

The two consultations will run at the same time because of the significant overlap between the Clean Air Plan and the proposed emission standards in the taxi and private hire Minimum Licensing Standards.

In November, the final stage of public consultation on Greater Manchester’s Plan for Homes, Jobs and the Environment – the Spatial Framework – will also take place. For more information on the GM Spatial Framework visit Greater Manchester spatial framework 2020.

Government has instructed Greater Manchester to introduce a Category C class CAZ covering all 10 local authority areas to tackle harmful air pollution on the region’s roads.

The clean air consultation will ask for views on key elements of the CAZ including the zone’s proposed boundary, daily charges, discounts and exemptions, and a request to government for a multi-million-pound funding package to support local businesses to upgrade to cleaner vehicles.

Government has already committed £41 million to support Greater Manchester businesses, sole traders and the voluntary sector to help upgrade to cleaner commercial vehicles ahead of the CAZ being introduced.

Leaders in GM are also working with government to secure more than £100m in further financial support, as well as a proposed £10m Hardship Fund for those businesses and organisations most affected by the CAZ.

Minimum licensing standards for taxis and private hire licensed locally are being proposed to make services safer and more customer-focused, with high environmental and accessibility standards.

The proposals aim to benefit drivers and the trade more widely, by strengthening public confidence in a well-regulated and locally licensed taxi and private hire sector and will contribute to better air quality and lower carbon emissions.

The proposed standards would cover drivers, operators and vehicles, and local licensing authorities.

The consultation will be the first of its kind and everyone in Bolton, including taxi and private hires and operators, will be able to give their views.

To find out more about Greater Manchester’s Clean Air Plans visit Cleanairgm.com. For information on minimum licensing standards proposals head to GMtaxistandards.com