Report of the Deputy Chief Executive and City Solicitor

This report summarises the key features of Greater Manchester’s feasibility study and its Outline Business Case (OBC) to reduce nitrogen dioxide exceedances in Manchester and across Greater Manchester in the shortest possible time. This OBC has been developed by Manchester City Council collectively with all Greater Manchester local authorities and the GMCA, and co-ordinated by TfGM in line with Government direction and guidance.

The Committee considered the report of the Deputy Chief Executive and City Solicitor that summarised the key features of Greater Manchester’s feasibility study and its Outline Business Case (OBC) to reduce nitrogen dioxide exceedances in Manchester and across Greater Manchester (GM) in the shortest possible time. This OBC had been developed by Manchester City Council collectively with all Greater Manchester local authorities and the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA), and co-ordinated by Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) in line with Government direction and guidance.

The main points and themes within the report included: -

·         Describing the context and background to the report;

·         Noting that poor air quality was the largest environmental risk to the public’s health;

·         The legal background;

·         Information on the Government’s UK Air Quality Plans;

·         Noting that TfGM had been coordinating the GM feasibility study on behalf of the ten Greater Manchester local authorities, who remain legally responsible for reducing NO₂ to legal Limit Values; and

·         Noting that the feasibility study process comprised a series of steps and processes, namely: Strategic Outline Case, Initial Evidence and Target Determination, Outline Business Case and Full Business Case.

The Committee had been invited to comment on this report prior to its submission to the Executive on the 13 March 2019. 

Some of the key points that arose from the Committee’s discussions were: -

·         Consideration needed to be given to supporting small business through an appropriately funded vehicle replacement scheme;

·         Members questioned the reason why private cars were not included in the vehicles affected by the proposed Clean Air Zone;

·         Bus companies needed to take responsibility for their polluting vehicles that had a significant impact on the health outcomes of Manchester residents;

·         Had social and economic impact assessments been undertaken;

·         Priority should be given to supporting local taxi businesses to improve their fleet;

·         Transport poverty was an issue and more investment was required in public transport infrastructure across all of the city to encourage people not to use their car and to link people to employment opportunities;   

·         Publicity campaigns should be targeted at people not using public transport;

·         Electric vehicles remained expensive and there was a lack charging points; and

·         The consultation exercise, when launched, should involve ward coordination to ensure that as many residents as possible were engaged with this agenda.

The Committee then heard from Councillor Paul, Ward Councillor for Withington. He stated that he was disappointed with the proposals and the outline timescales, commenting that immediate action was required to address the harmful effects of pollution caused by vehicles. He questioned why private cars had not been included in the proposed plan, commenting that the vast majority of vehicles on the road were private cars, and the many of these were not compliant with emission standards. He further suggested that consideration needed to be given to other courses of action, such as introducing car free days.

The Executive Member for Environment, Planning and Transport stated that buses were one of the biggest contributors to poor air quality, noting the recent press reports that had included statements from local bus companies and said that she had found these to be very disappointing. She described that the objective of any penalty in a Clean Air Zones was for all vehicles which drove within the area of a Clean Air Zone to have engines which complied with emissions standards. The objective of the Clean Air Zone was to bring about reductions in emissions from vehicles and not to raise money. The proposals did not amount to a congestion charge. In regard to the issue of private cars she said that that option would not have delivered compliance any faster than the proposed way forward, and would not perform effectively in terms of reducing human exposure. An important consideration in this respect was that the average private car was not used for 95% of the time whereas other vehicles were used much more intensively.  

In response to the comments regarding support for sole traders and small businesses she said that Clean Air Zones would not be introduced without the correct funding package for such businesses being supported by central government. 

The Executive Member for Environment, Planning and Transport said that a communications campaign had been launched before Christmas that had been well received and a further campaign would be launched from May to coincide with the public consultation exercise that would then inform the final plan.  

The Head of City Policy informed the Committee that work was currently ongoing across Greater Manchester to consider standards for the taxi trade and this included discussions regarding emissions standards. He indicated that funding to help taxi and private hire drivers transition to cleaner vehicles would only be made available to vehicles registered in Greater Manchester. This may be one measure that wqill support efforts to reduce the number of vehicles that are registered with authorities outside Greater Manchester operating here. He further informed Members that an Equalities Impact Assessment of the proposals had been produced and that this was available as a background document to the report and had been circulated in advance of the meeting. In response to a question from a Member he acknowledged that there were other sources of pollution, however this report specifically dealt with Nitrogen Oxide Exceedances at the roadside, and other policies and strategies would address other sources of pollution.

Decision

The Committee note the report and endorse the recommendations that the Executive:

1.     Note that the Council is legally obliged to produce a feasibility study to identify the option which will deliver compliance with the requirement to meet legal limits of nitrogen dioxide following the Secretary of State issuing a direction under the Environment Act 1995;

2.     Adopt the feasibility study undertaken to date;

3.     Approve the OBC (for submission to the government's Joint Air Quality Unit);

4.     Note that further stakeholder engagement and public onsultation is an essential part of the process to help inform and refine ongoing work to produce a Full Business Case by the end of the calendar year;

5.     Approve the commencement of the public conversation and engagement activity from 15 May 2019;

6.     Note that further reports will be submitted to Executive on:

a)     the proposals for statutory consultation, informed by the outcome of the public conversation and engagement.

b)     formal approval of the Full Business Case.

7.     Agree that Transport for Greater Manchester continue with the activity to produce the Full Business Case on behalf of the ten Greater Manchester authorities, under the direction of the Greater Manchester Clean Air Steering Group; and

8.     Delegate to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Executive Member for Transport, Planning and the Environment the approval of submission of supplementary information.

[Councillor Hughes declared a personal and non prejudicial interest as he is employed as a bus driver.]