The Manchester Clean Air Zone (CAZ) has been in the works for a fair bit of time now, having first been proposed back in 2014. After much adversity however, it looks like we might finally be getting the Manchester Clean Air Zone before the end of the year.
The plans to introduce a CAZ were initially brought in to fight the illegally dangerous levels of air pollution spread across the ten local authority areas in Manchester. The toxic air surrounding these areas is having an adverse effect on the health of many members of the general population, especially that of vulnerable people like the elderly, children, and those with chronic conditions like asthma and heart disease.
It’s fair to say that the planned Manchester CAZ has been deemed a pretty controversial decision in some quarters. A revised plan was due to be released by the end of July, but that’s looking pretty unlikely at this point! So, if you’re looking to take advantage of our fantastic online car auctions here at RAW2K, and you think you’ll regularly be moving through the Manchester area in future, here’s the latest on the Clean Air Zone plans.
First, a brief recap on the original CAZ plan
It hasn’t exactly been a smooth ride making the Manchester Clean Air zone a feasible reality. The original plan was to introduce a Greater Manchester-wide Category C Clean Air Zone, where only the most polluting vehicles would have to pay a toll when driving through. However, since these initial plans were laid out, quite a few significant events have taken place, which have slowed progress. Unsurprisingly, the Covid-19 pandemic has led to major supply chain issues across the globe (particularly for vans), and with the current cost of living crisis in full swing here in the UK, further delays have ensued. As a result, ministers concluded that the original CAZ plan would have inflicted unnecessary financial hardship on people during a time where things are already extremely difficult.
Where does that leave plans for the Manchester CAZ?
Having reviewed the economic situation that’s now unfolding, the government has now agreed to lift the legal obligation to achieve compliance with pollution limits by 2024, extending the deadline to 2026. With this new allowance of time, Greater Manchester has been working alongside the government to deliver a new, updated CAZ plan by the end of this month. As things stand though, there have been no further updates regarding the new plans, so it’s looking increasingly likely that any new updates won’t be revealed to the public until the start of August at the earliest. Keep your eyes out for any future updates!
In the meantime, if you’re looking to purchase a scrap or damaged vehicle, you’re in exactly the right place. Here at RAW2K, our online car auctions list thousands of used, salvaged and seized vehicles every week. The vast majority of the vehicles you’ll find online on our website are salvage cars, vans and motorcycles. These salvage cars attract thousands of trade and non-trade customers from around the UK, who bid on them in our fast, easy online vehicle auctions. So, whether you’re just a hobbyist, or a full time professional mechanic, why not take a look around, and see what you can find?
