'What are they for?' - FOUR HUNDRED Clean Air Zone cameras remain in place across Greater Manchester

Councillors have demanded full transparency over how hundreds of mothballed number plate recognition cameras installed under the Clean Air Zone plans will be used in future.

Leader of the Liberal Democrat opposition group in Oldham, councillor Howard Sykes, said there should be a public consultation on their purpose, as well as scrutiny from elected members of all parties. “The future usage of these cameras must not be decided in a back room somewhere,” he told members at a full council meeting.

More than 400 ANPR cameras were erected ahead of the planned implementation of the charging zone in May last year, which was then delayed and the future of which is still uncertain. READ MORE: Forensics comb Manchester street as murder probe ramps up after Zikel Bobmanuel shot dead The project, known as ‘CAZ’ would have seen some of the most polluting vehicles on the city-region’s roads charged daily to travel to tackle illegal levels of nitrogen dioxide.

Police can access information and images from the cameras which has already provided evidence in five murder cases, six gun incidents, two stabbings, four fatal crashes amongst others.