Poor air quality is the largest environmental public health issue facing the UK, with air pollution estimated to contribute to the equivalent of 1,200 deaths in Greater Manchester each year.

Transport for Greater Manchester and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority are calling on businesses and residents to help shape proposals to clean up dirty air at the roadside, the most serious environmental health issue facing the city-region.

The Greater Manchester Clean Air Plan proposes a package of measures to significantly reduce carbon dioxide emissions from the most polluting road vehicles, which are linked to a range of serious health problems and reduced life expectancy.

The proposals include:

• A £116m upgrade programme to clean up the city-region’s bus, coach, minibus, HGV, taxi and van fleets over the next 2-4 years.
• A Clean Air Zone covering all 10 Greater Manchester local council areas with a population of nearly three million people across 500 square miles, the largest proposed Clean Air Zone outside London. The zone would mean that high-polluting, non-compliant HGVs, buses, coaches, taxis, private hire vehicles, vans, motorhomes, motorised horseboxes (with a maximum weight of 3.5 tonnes when not carrying a load) and minibuses – but not private cars – would be subject to a daily penalty to travel in Greater Manchester.
• Investment in 600 new public rapid electric vehicle charging points across the city-region.

A seven-week clean air conversation is running until Sunday 30 June, during which residents can fill out a survey to give detailed feedback on the GM Clean Air Plan proposals. More information is available at cleanairgm.com.