Greater Manchester’s Clean Air Zone plan is being delayed again after claims that bus emissions may be inaccurate.
About 1,150 of the region’s 2,063 buses have been retrofitted to reduce nitrogen dioxide emissions at a cost of £15 million.
However, the government has paused the rollout as some of the newly refurbished buses are not shrinking as expected.
Local officials say they still hope to meet legal limits for nitrogen dioxide by 2026.
Currently operating in cities such as Birmingham and Sheffield; Clean air zones (CAZ) aims to reduce pollution and encourage the use of less polluting vehicles.
The Greater Manchester CAZ proposal has been put on hold from February 2022 following a response to potential charges for certain vehicle users.
It has Greater Manchester Transport. He said earlier The buses will lead to zero emissions by 2032.
Local officials were supposed to update the government on expected reductions in air pollution this month, but that will be delayed due to the current shutdown of emissions.
A spokesman for Clean Air Greater Manchester said the introduction of the buses would still contribute to “significant improvements in air quality, tackling not only nitrogen dioxide but other pollutants”.
Local leaders are “committed to an investment-led, non-renewable GM clean air plan” and are “working to meet legal limits for nitrogen dioxide as soon as possible and by 2026 at the latest,” she said. .
The government has begun a restoration technology review that is scheduled to be completed this fall.
A government spokesman said they would “work closely with local councils to improve air quality by using technologies to improve bus emissions”.
“We have paused the release of the bus upgrade technology and are conducting further research to understand the technology and determine the best way to improve it.”
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