The GM local authorities are under a Ministerial Direction from Government to implement measures which would achieve compliance with Limit Value for NO2 concentrations in the shortest possible timescale, and by 2024 at the latest.
The proposed ‘go live’ date of the GM CAZ on 30 May 2022 is considered the soonest feasible date for the Clean Air Zone to commence.
The ten GM Local Authorities are undertaking the implementation and contract arrangements required to deliver the CAZ and other GM CAP measures in order to maintain delivery momentum in line with the funding arrangements agreed with Government.
The geographic scale of the zone (almost 1,300km2) is such that over 2,300 road signs and around 850 automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) cameras will need to be installed on the highway network. The cameras need to be integrated into a technology platform, that will also be connected to the payment and vehicle checking services which have been established by central government. In addition, the operational teams of both TfGM and its supplier must be recruited, trained and mobilised. Whilst much of this technology is tried and tested, the programme schedule is complex. This schedule currently shows that implementation of a scheme that has fully tested all of the component parts is late May 2022 and therefore this is the earliest date that the GM CAZ could launch.
The funds which support the introduction of the charging zone will be implemented from November 2021. To effectively manage the distribution of the funds it is necessary to develop an IT platform, integrate that with a number of third parties for the purposes of validating applicant data and allowing for applicants to apply to a number of selected financiers should they wish to apply for a financial product to support their vehicle upgrade. As such November 2021 is the earliest that the funds can commence being distributed.