Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) has missed the deadline to submit a business case for its Clean Air Plan, blaming lack of clarity from government over funding.
GMCA’s proposals include funding for businesses to upgrade to cleaner vehicles, the introduction of a ‘clean air zone’ and plans to increase the region’s electric vehicle public charging network.
GMCA confirmed it had not submitted its full business case by the December 31 deadline given by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).
It comes after GMCA issued a statement last month renewing calls for clarity from the government on funding for businesses, following the announcement of a new environment bill in the Queen’s speech.
GMCA said: “Until Greater Manchester receives further legal clarification and confirmation on the clean vehicles funding available from government to support Greater Manchester businesses, it is unable to complete the Clean Air Plan proposals and won’t be in a position to submit the Full Business Case, which had previously been requested by December 31.”
GMCA said it was waiting for clarification on “two key issues”.
It said former environment minister Therese Coffey had failed to commit to funding for businesses to upgrade to cleaner vehicles, while repeating concerns that Highways England had not been directed to tackle NO2 levels in breach of legal limits as Greater Manchester local authorities are, which it said could undermine work to tackle the issue on local roads.
“The only government funding committed was £36m to take forward proposals for a charging Clean Air Zone in which the most polluting commercial vehicles would be charged to travel on local roads in Greater Manchester,” GMCA said.
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The combined authority said it does not believe delays will “significantly” impact the timetable for compliance with NO2 legal limits by 2024.
Greater Manchester green city-region lead, Councillor Andrew Western, said: “We’re committed to improving the air we all breathe as quickly as possible and we have ambitious proposals that we want to move forward with.
“It’s harming our health and bad for our economy. But we need to ensure that those local businesses most affected by our Clean Air Zone proposals have the financial support they need to move to cleaner vehicles.”
He continued: “We’re playing our part. We’ve submitted extensive further evidence to the government’s Joint Air Quality Unit on our funding ask to support local businesses.
“But, nine months after we submitted our Clean Air Plan outline business case, we still have no commitment to clean vehicle funds and, crucially, still need final clarification on the legal criteria against which Greater Manchester’s Clean Air Plan would be assessed.”
Defra said further decisions on funding will be taken following consideration of GMCA’s final plan.
A government spokesperson said: “We are helping local authorities tackle air pollution in towns and cities across the country.
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“We have already provided Greater Manchester with an initial £36m to support their new clean air zone.
“We continue to work with them to further progress these plans to a final stage and will consider next steps in due course.”