Clean air campaigners warn Manchester could be ‘overrun’ with cars as number increase across region

Clean air campaigners are warning that Manchester could be ‘overrun’ with traffic as the number of private cars in our region has increased to over 1.1 million.

There were 970,563 private cars registered in Greater Manchester in 2012, but a decade later, that figure has shot up to 1,119,622.

In the city of Manchester, there has been a 31 per cent increase from 117,388 in the first quarter of 2012 to 154,109 at the start of this year. That’s 2.5 times the average increase in England over the same period.

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The analysis, by the Clean Cities Campaign, has been released today as part of World Car-Free Day. It reveals increases in cars registered across the conurbation, but the lobbying group is appealing to Manchester Council in particular by calling for a city centre Clean Air Zone (CAZ).

Plans for a Greater Manchester CAZ are currently under review following a backlash against plans to charge the most polluting vehicles. Local leaders want to scrap all charges and help fund vehicle upgrades using £120m the government has agreed to give the region. Councillors have approved a draft document which claims an 'investment-led approach' will achieve air quality compliance by 2026.

Ministers are yet to respond, but environment secretary George Eustice previously said there is 'little robust evidence' that this approach would work and suggested still charging the most polluting taxis, vans, buses and lorries in the city centre . A public consultation on the latest proposals is set to take place early next year .

Manchester Council says a non-charging Clean Air Plan would ‘significantly’ improve air quality