One year on from the failed Clean Air Zone, campaigners call for action in the city centre

It’s now one year since the Clean Air Zone was due to come into effect. In that time it’s likely that over 1200 people in Greater Manchester have died sooner than they should have because of air pollution, and many children have been left with lifelong health impacts.

Those impacts are not evenly felt, with the poorest communities often breathing in the dirtiest air.

Greater Manchester was supposed to introduce a CAZ in May 2022, but the plan was paused amidst claims it was “unworkable” and evidence that the costs of upgrading vehicles had risen.

Meanwhile, other cities have introduced clean air zones to limit the dirtiest vehicles and the evidence shows that they are effectively tackling pollution.

There is more and more evidence about the impacts of this pollution on our health at every stage of life, and research released earlier this year put both Salford and Manchester in the top 10 authorities for highest emergency hospital admissions and deaths relating to lung health.

Campaigners from across the city region are determined to ensure that ambitions to clean up our air are not forgotten.

Sarah Rowe from the Clean Cities Campaign said “In the time that’s been wasted since the original plan became a wrangling match between local and national government, it seems that the most important point has been lost: we all want to breathe clean air. Recent Defra statistics show that Manchester has some of the dirtiest air in the country. If we are to meet our goals of being a greener and fairer city, then we must act to limit polluting cars and vans in the city centre. There must be financial support for people who are dependent on cars or vans to transition to cleaner vehicles. But cleaning up our air is not a cost, it’s an investment that is good for us, good for our NHS and it could generate a huge economic boost for the city.”

Dr Aimee Priestman, a GP and Primary Care Network Green Lead explained the reality of inaction. “As a GP, every day I see multiple people presenting with new respiratory symptoms and prescribe endless inhalers. Clinicians struggle to manage their workload and as waiting times grow ever longer, I can't understand why politicians and public health are not taking more of a lead to tackle the root causes. There are steps we can all take to tackle pollution like not idling, (unnecessary running of the engine when stationary) or choosing active travel - but politicians must take a lead to create widespread change.”

Let’s Talk Clean Air Whalley Range is a community group which has been hosting conversations across the neighbourhood to listen to the issues people face and the solutions that are popular. Cazz Ward, from the project said “People told us how disappointed they were that politicians backtracked on having at least some sort of clean air zone in Manchester. They were worried that we were going to end up with all of the polluting vehicles being sold here. Their fears seem to be backed up by recent DVLA stats showing that the number of diesels in Manchester has grown by over 8% while they decline in other places.”

Liz Godfrey from the Manchester group of Mums for Lungs said “When it comes to air pollution and children’s health the current situation in Manchester is appalling. As a result of breathing this toxic air, hospital admissions for childhood asthma are more than three times the national average. This is simply unacceptable.”

The Government questioned whether the alternative proposal put forward by the GMCA would be sufficient to bring pollution levels within legal limits, and many health campaigners are concerned that the UK legal limits for Nitrogen Dioxide are not strict enough as it is, being four times higher than the limits recommended by the World Health Organisation. The authority is due to submit further evidence to central government next month.

Pete Abel from Manchester Friends of the Earth said: "The GM Clean Air Plan was 'paused' a year ago but the Government has failed to ensure that people in Greater Manchester are not breathing illegal toxic air for over 12 years. The current legal air quality limits are not safe and are not fit for purpose. How many more children have to be harmed before our politicians stop making excuses and start taking action on this public health emergency?”

Dr Sinead Millwood, a GP in Manchester, is clear that action is needed. “Many of my patients are struggling with the cost of living crisis so I understand the concerns people have about introducing a charging clean air zone. But it's the least well off in Manchester who are exposed to the highest levels of air pollution and whose health suffers the most. So many of my patients have conditions that are caused or worsened by air pollution. This is a national health emergency, the clean air zone is the minimum Manchester should be doing.”

Kathryn Shaw of Living Streets added “Motor traffic is the main source of air pollution in our towns and cities.  A national network of clean air zones to take the most polluting vehicles out of the most polluted areas is urgently needed. Without action, people visiting, working and living in Manchester are being denied the clean air they deserve.”