Controversial plans to implement a Greater Manchester Clean Air Zone (Clean Air Zone) could be delayed.
Bolton council leader Martyn Cox praised the decision to push back the May start date for the CAZ in the wake of a huge protest by taxi drivers which choked up the town yesterday.
Plans for a daily charge of between £7 and £60 for vans or pickups, taxis and private hire cars has created a tide of opposition from operators and small businesses fearing they will be forced off the road by 'impossible' demands to upgrade their vehicles.
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But, following meetings held today, Coun Cox told Greater Manchester Combined Authority (GMCA) has decided to put a hold on the plans for now.
The Bolton council leader told the Manchester Evening News : "While I understand the concern of the taxi drivers, the charges for them were actually not due to come into effect until 2023.
"I think many of them assumed they would be charged from this May, which is not the case. I think some better public communication with them might be in order. The taxi people should have a reasonable amount of time to comply."
Coun Cox said there were valid concerns about the supply chains for new vehicles and 'retrofitting' to make them clean-air compliant, but he said the law dictates that only the government can pause the scheme.
He went on: "The scheme was designed in a period before the global pandemic, and before the key supply chains were hit.
"People can't comply because of forces outside their control and in fact also the government's control. This makes it incredibly difficult for people to comply."
But he said Greater Manchester alone 'can't cancel the scheme'.
"It needs the Secretary of State to issue a directive," he added.
