Star date: 7th December 2015

A Salford Star Exclusive

SCHOOL HOURS CHANGE AND HIGH EMISSION VEHICLES CHARGE IN GMCA POLLUTION AND CONGESTION PROPOSALS

Salford school hours could change in radical proposals by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority to reduce congestion and pollution. A new Air Quality document, shortly going out to consultation, includes an option for "flexible school days that allow pupils to arrive earlier or later and avoid peak travel times."

Other proposals include Clean Air Zones in which "vehicles that do not meet specified minimum emissions standards are charged for entering the area"; encouraging more electric vehicles and only allowing buses with the lowest emissions to use routes that are highly polluted.

Full details here...

Schools in Salford and throughout Greater Manchester could change their hours in radical proposals by the Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) to reduce pollution and congestion.

A new draft Greater Manchester Low Emissions Strategy and Air Quality Action Plan comprises a whole raft of solutions to the growing problem of air quality which has seen the region in breach of European NO2 (Nitrogen Dioxide) emissions levels, with the Supreme Court ordering an end to the breach (see previous Salford Star article – click here).

Amongst proposals in the Air Quality Action Plan is the shake up of school hours...

"It is generally recognised that school travel can contribute significantly to local traffic, leading to congestion in some areas" states the report "Therefore, opportunities to minimise these effects will be appraised. Potential means of reducing car journeys for school, or reducing the effects of the journeys, may include public transport subsidies, or flexible school days that allow pupils to arrive earlier or later and avoid peak travel times.

"Possible interventions will be identified in consultation with the local education authorities, and targeted towards schools in, and near, the Key Priority Areas, where congestion may be a major cause of high pollution concentrations" it adds "TfGM [Transport for Greater Manchester] and district authorities will work with the local education authorities to undertake an appraisal to identify measures to reduce the impacts from school car travel."

Reacting to the proposal, Peter Middleman of the National Union of Teachers told the Salford Star... "We encourage schools to meet their obligations under the Climate Act to reduce carbon emissions but anything that is proposed which alters the school day needs to be considered in the context of teachers working excess hours of 60-70 hours a week and we would need to see a lot more detail..."

Other proposals put forward in the one hundred page document include the introduction of Clean Air Zones, or CAZ, of which one type is a LEZ (Low Emissions Zone)... "Vehicles that do not meet specified minimum emissions standards are charged for entering the area" the report states "This can be targeted at the types of vehicle that are seen as the major problem, such as buses and HGVs."

Targeted areas would include the motorways and roads around Manchester City Centre – and in Salford specifically mentioned in the report for HGV interventions are the M62, M602, the East Lancs Road, Walkden Road and Manchester Road, while bus interventions are aimed at Broad Street (A6) and roads heading into Manchester City Centre.

Taxis will also possibly be affected with councils seeking to standardise the minimum age of cabs that are allowed to operate... "The minimum emission standards will be progressively increased in future years to ensure a very low emission limit will be achieved within a defined timescale" states the report.

There are also proposals to ease congestion around Regent Road, and to encourage more people to use public transport and cycles. At the heart of the Air Quality Action Plan is the fact that pollution is killing people. In 2014, the Salford Star reported that Salford had the highest long term exposure mortality rates in Greater Manchester (see here). And the GMCA report - separate from the GM Climate Strategy but related - aims to "focus on those aspects of carbon reduction which have the greatest synergy with improving air quality, namely emissions from transport."

It's particularly crucial, as, alongside this Plan are proposals to massively increase house building, industrial spaces and office blocks as part of the so-called Northern Powerhouse.

The Greater Manchester Low Emissions Strategy and Air Quality Action Plan will be put out to consultation in the near future... "It is only fair that the public get to see the plans and have a say on what we are proposing" says Councillor Gena Merrett, Executive Lead for Housing and Environment at Salford City Council "Air quality is something that affects everybody and causes illness and health issues across Greater Manchester. It's important we act to reduce these cases and ensure that the region complies with limit values for Nitrogen Dioxide by 2020."

These consultations are usually well hidden but to read the draft GM Low Emissions Strategy and Air Quality Action Plan – click here and then click on Item 12.

* See also: Salford could have 60k new flats and houses in GM proposals driven by developers http://salfordstar.com/article.asp?id=3047