Boris Johnson says Greater Manchester’s Clean Air Zone is ‘completely unworkable’

Boris Johnson labelled Greater Manchester’s proposed Clean Air Zone as ‘completely unworkable’ during today’s PMQs.

The Prime Minister was quizzed on the scheme, which would charge high-polluting vehicles up to £60 a day to drive within certain areas of the region, by MP for Leigh James Grundy, who told Johnson that the proposal would put a ‘job-destroying tax’ on ‘ordinary workers’.

Grundy explained to The Commons: “The Greater Manchester Mayoral Clean Air Zone scheme, effectively a congestion charge affecting all 500 square miles of Greater Manchester, including my constituents in Leigh, is a job-destroying tax on ordinary workers.

“We all want clean air, but the model proposed by Mayor Burnham is unworkable and economically devastating with charges of £60 per day, per lorry driver.

“Taxis, white van men, even buses, will be affected by it. Will the PM intervene to prevent Mayor Burnham from inflicting this disastrous Labour scheme on Greater Manchester?”

Johnson quickly responded by saying a solution that doesn’t ‘punish local residents’ must be found, noting that the scheme is ‘completely unworkable’.

The PM said: “I know from my own experience how vital it is when you’re trying to clean up air in a great city that you do not unjustly penalise business and small business.

Read More: Greater Manchester bosses to ‘pause’ Clean Air Zone roll out amid backlash

“It’s become clear that the scheme proposed by the Labour mayor in Manchester is completely unworkable, would do more damage to businesses and residents in Manchester.

“So we must find an alternative that doesn’t punish local residents.”

He added that the Secretary of State for the Environment will be saying more about the plans in the coming days.

This comes after Greater Manchester councils voted to send plans for the Clean Air Zone back to the government for consultation.

Since its announcement last year, the proposed Clean Air Zone for Greater Manchester has been met with overwhelming backlash, with many saying it will leave small and independent businesses bankrupt.

The scheme, set to come into place from May 30th 2022, will charge vehicles that do not meet emissions standards between £7 and £60 when driving within the zone, which will cover 493 square miles of Greater Manchester, making it the largest of its kind in the UK.

Mayor Andy Burnham is yet to address Johnson’s comments on the Clean Air Zone.