Greater Manchester leaders say ‘major progress’ is being made on improving air quality through the delivery of bus fleet electrification, clean taxi upgrades and local traffic measures.
An update to the Greater Manchester Air Quality Administration Committee, due to be discussed on 29th January, sets out advances in the city region’s investment-led, non-charging Clean Air Plan. The plan was agreed with government after the city dropped proposals for a charging Clean Air Zone in 2022 following widespread opposition from businesses and residents.
According to the combined authority, all measures required to meet legal limits for nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) are now being delivered and remain on track to comply with a legal deadline of 2026. Ministers say modelling shows the investment-led approach would bring NO₂ levels down faster than a benchmark charging zone covering central Manchester and parts of Salford.
Key elements of the plan include accelerated electrification of the Bee Network bus fleet, supported by £51.1m of government-approved clean air funding. Twenty new zero-emission buses are already operating from an electrified Bolton depot, with a further 58 due to enter service this spring on routes including the 8, 10, V1 and V2. One in five Bee Network buses is now electric, and three-quarters of the fleet is less than four years old, with funding secured for around 1,000 zero-emission buses by 2030.
An £8m Hackney Support Fund has also launched to help black cab owners upgrade to cleaner vehicles. So far, 193 applications have been processed and £1.58m committed in grants. Further support for private hire vehicles is being considered as part of future budget plans.
Additional measures include targeted local traffic interventions to reduce congestion and pollution hotspots, alongside plans to transfer Automatic Number Plate Recognition cameras—originally installed for the proposed Clean Air Zone—to Greater Manchester Police. Nearly 90% of respondents backed the transfer during a public consultation.
However, environmental campaigners and some public health advocates remain unconvinced. They argue that while investment in cleaner vehicles is welcome, it does not go far enough to reduce traffic volumes, and that a charging Clean Air Zone would have delivered faster and more certain air quality improvements, particularly in deprived communities most affected by pollution.
Greater Manchester is under legal direction to meet NO₂ limits “in the shortest possible time”. Whether the non-charging approach proves sufficient in practice is likely to remain a point of debate as the 2026 deadline approaches.
Cllr Eamonn O’Brien, Leader of Bury Council and Clean Air lead for Greater Manchester, said: ‘We are determined to meet our legal obligations and improve public health for all our residents. Since taking back control of local buses through the transformational Bee Network, we’ve been able to run cleaner and zero-emission buses on routes where they are most needed to improve air quality.
‘This is about improving air quality in the right way. Our investment-led approach means we are on track to deliver cleaner air without a charging zone and without placing financial pressure on residents or businesses.
‘Through the rollout of new zero-emission buses, alongside grants for black cab drivers to upgrade their vehicles, we’re showing exactly what an investment-led plan can achieve: cleaner air, modern public transport and a fairer approach for local people.’
Photo: Mangopear creative
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