Posted on 12th Jun 2019
We’ve had a lot to say about the clean air agenda in our blogs over recent months. It’s because we’re concerned about how these developments will impact the booming delivery sector. The two things are closely linked, of course.
The greater the need for increased numbers of delivery trucks to service the online delivery sector, the higher the impact on air quality. In turn, this prompts an increasing drive to develop clean air zone (CAZ) legislation. It’s a classic ‘deadly embrace’ unfortunately.
We recently reported on the Greater Manchester Clean Air Plan. GM is the latest city region to develop CAZ proposals. If implemented it will see polluting buses and lorries pay a £100 per day clean air levy. Charges for taxis and vans will be £7.50 per day.
The Manchester CAZ will be one of the biggest schemes of its type in the UK, covering nearly 500 square miles. Indeed, it will be second only to London’s ULEZ in scope.
It’s worth noting that within Manchester’s Clean Air Zone plans there are several supporting measures designed to help people and businesses contribute to cleaning up the air in the city region. These include:
- A £116m fund to promote the increased use of clean air zone friendly vehicles.
- Looking for and implementing ever-greener transport options
- Ensuring municipal fleets attain the same standards required by GM’s CAZ
- Considering how innovations in city centre parking can contribute to the process
- Encouraging increased use of buses for travel in GM
These are useful measures that go some way to enhance the GM CAZ proposals. But at their core, the plans still have the potential to have a detrimental impact on delivery companies whose vehicles regularly travel through Greater Manchester.
Manchester’s ten local authorities have completed their review of the proposed Clean Air Plan Business Case, and it is now with the government for consideration.
In parallel, the GMCA has opened up a public ‘conversation’ that will run from 13th May to midnight on 30th June 2019. It gives all stakeholders the chance to express their initial views on the Greater Manchester Clean Air Plan. It can be accessed here.
Once this process is complete, a formal public consultation will offer further opportunities to comment and feedback on the Manchester CAZ proposal. The ten GMCA authorities will then consider all comments before developing a full business case by the end of 2019.
Assuming everything progresses as planned and appropriate government funding is obtained, the Greater Manchester Clean Air Plan will be implemented in 2021
The Truckcraft team would like to encourage any industry stakeholders with opinions on Manchester’s proposed CAZ to have their say. Only by offering our view re the impacts on the delivery sector can we get our voice heard. The opinions of our increasingly busy industry will be vital in shaping this kind of legislation as it inevitably spreads to more cities UK-wide.
As Chris Fletcher, marketing and campaigns director at Greater Manchester Chamber of Commerce said:
“Business input will be crucial to make sure the detailed plan offers the right support for business, from sole traders to large companies. So I’d urge all businesses across our region to find out about the proposals and give their feedback on this very important issue.”
The survey responses will be used to develop the plan in advance of a statutory public consultation to be held later in the year. The views of our sector are crucial, so we need to engage. It’s also time to start planning for the future and making investments in CAZ-friendly trucks that will reduce the additional financial burdens these schemes could bring.
On that note may we commend the Truckcraft range fitted with TRAILAR technology that we have designed especially to meet these challenges head-on. It’s an investment that could help save both your business money and, indeed, the planet as well.
For more information on our CAZ-friendly delivery trucks and vans, please contact the Truckcraft Bodies sales team on 0161 304 9404. Alternatively, email glen.pinder@truckcraftbodies.co.uk or emma.jane@truckcraftbodies.co.uk.