Greater Manchester Clean Air Zone charges are temporary, says mayor

Clean Air Zone (CAZ) charges in Greater Manchester will be "switched off" as soon as air quality reaches the legal level, the region's mayor has said.

Andy Burnham told BBC Radio Manchester the charges for high-emission vehicles would be temporary.

It followed a war of words between the mayor and the prime minister about the proposed scheme to cut emissions.

Mr Burnham said he was trying to listen to people's concerns but he could not ignore the law of the land.

"People think this is like a Trojan horse, that it will mutate into a congestion charge, and it will last forever and we will constantly ratchet up the requirements on people," he said.

"Well let me just put that one to bed as well. This thing is a temporary Clean Air Zone.

"It needs to last as long we get to legal compliance with air limits."

Taxi drivers have been staging a protest against the plans in Manchester city centre.

Derek Brocklehurst from Cresta Cars said the company already had a "lack of drivers" and he is concerned the "extra charge" would force more out of business.

"Cost of living has gone up, fuel has gone up... We could do without [the charge]... if we lost anymore drivers it would put a big strain on us," he said.

CAZs are designed to encourage people to drive less-polluting vehicles, including those powered by electric, and more modern petrol and diesels.

The government has been calling on regional authorities to introduce CAZs since the UK's highest court, the Supreme Court, ordered ministers in 2015 to take immediate action to cut air pollution.

From 30 May, some vehicles in Greater Manchester, but not private cars, could be charged between £7.50 and £60 daily.

Mr Burnham said he had already spoken to the chief constable of Greater Manchester Police to see "if [the force] would like to take the automatic number plate recognition infrastructure over and use it for policing purposes".

"I realise that raises other issues and they would need to be consulted upon, but I just want people to know that this thing will be switched off the minute that it can be," he added.

His comments come after a row broke out between Mr Burnham and Boris Johnson on Wednesday.

Speaking at Prime Minister's Questions, Mr Johnson said the plan "by the Labour mayor" would "do damage to businesses and residents".

However, Mr Burnham said he had "never been the instigator nor the final decision-maker in this scheme".

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