The Clean Air Zone delay has led to an outcry from transport bosses who have described the latest roadblock as ‘disappointing’, ‘farcical’ and ‘deeply frustrating’.
The committee responsible for overseeing CAZ have put the blame of this delay firmly at the door of the government who are now reviewing whether retrofitting buses has worked.
As of March, 1,153 of the 2,063 buses in Greater Manchester were retrofitted to meet emissions standards, costing £15m. Now the government is conducting a review looking into the reason some retrofitted buses were not cutting nitrogen dioxide emissions as much as expected. Try MEN Premium for FREE by clicking here for no ads, fun puzzles and brilliant new features This means plans to roll out CAZ are on hold, the Greater Manchester Air Quality Administration Committee heard.
Until the conclusion of the review in Autumn, Whitehall has paused funding which enabled operators to attach Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) exhausts to their buses for £16,000 a pop.
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