Leader's column: Have your say in Clean Air consultation

In her latest column, Tameside Council leader Cllr Brenda Warrington urges local residents to take part in the Greater Manchester Clean Air consultation currently taking place.

Last week in this column I shared how we want to get our residents' views on protecting our shared environment through the Greater Manchester Clean Air consultation. Close on its heels follows our consultation on Minimum Standards for Licensed Vehicles across the city region.

We estimate that there are around 2,000 taxis and 14,000 other vehicles operating across all ten of the Greater Manchester local authorities. 

The vast majority of activity by these licensed vehicles takes place with no problems whatsoever, however after listening to members of the trade, public and regulators we believe that it can still be run better.

These include addressing concerns about “out of town” private vehicles operating outside the area in which they are licensed, inconsistent standards across each local authority area, and older licensed vehicles contributing to air pollution.

By putting in place a city region-wide licensing regime, we will build a trade that is fit for purpose for Greater Manchester in the 21st century. Not only will this give residents confidence that if they get in a taxi in Manchester or Oldham they will be receiving the same service as if they got into a taxi in Salford or Tameside, it will also help to clean up our air and contribute to our wider vision of a improved and integrated transport system across Greater Manchester.

Our draft Minimum Licensing Standard place a number of new duties on drivers, vehicles, operators and local authorities involved in the taxi and private hire vehicle trade. 

In the longer term we’re also putting together a package of support, including £20 million of government funding, with the goal of making every taxi or private hire vehicle in Greater Manchester zero emission by the end of the decade.

The Minimum Licensing Standards consultation will run until midnight on December 3, 2020, so make sure you have your say. If you’re involved in the taxi or private hire trade we also want to hear about how the coronavirus pandemic might have affected your business.

It’s an exciting team in Greater Manchester. Despite the continuing struggle against the coronavirus pandemic, we’re putting in place the plans we need to build back better and make our city region the best place in the country to grow up, get on and grow old. By telling us what matters to you, you too can be a part of creating our shared bright future.

For more information and to have your say on the Clean Air Zone plans, click here: https://cleanairgm.com/clean-air-zone/.

For more information and to have your say on the minimum licensing standards for taxis, click here: https://www.gmtaxistandards.com/consultation/.