Issue - meetings

To consider a report of the Corporate Director for Place Management & Regeneration.

The Head of Highways and Transportation submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) detailing the ongoing consultation on the Clean Air Plan and the taxi and private hire common minimum licensing standards.

It was noted that private vehicles were excluded from the scope of the plan and it was queried whether this would mean that it would be difficult to achieve the necessary reduction in nitrogen dioxide exceedances.  In response, it was stated that the modelling that had been undertaken indicated that the proposals in the consultation document would be sufficient to achieve the reductions mandated by government.

RESOLVED – (1) That the report be noted.

(2) That members of the Forum be encouraged to respond individually to the consultation by the deadline of 3 December 2020.

To consider a report of the Corporate Director for Place Management & Regeneration.

The report provides details relating to the consultation information for the statutory consultation on the Clean Air Plan (CAP) and the taxi and private hire common minimum licensing standards (MLS) asking Members to encourage people to participate in the consultation process.

The Area Committee is recommended to note the report.

Officer contact: Sue Stevenson on 0161 474 4351 or email: sue.stevenson@stockport.gov.uk   

A representative of the Corporate Director (Place) and Deputy Chief Executive submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) detailing the consultation information for the statutory consultation on the Clean Air Plan and the taxi and private hire common minimum licensing standards and asking Members to encourage people to participate in the consultation process.

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

·         The report was broadly welcomed as means of combatting issues of poor air quality in the Greater Manchester conurbation.

·         It was noted that a key contributors to poor air quality was engine idling by buses and further work needed to be done with TfGM and bus operators to tackle driver behaviour in this regard.  In response, it was stated that where specific locations where this was an issue were identified, then these could be addressed with the operators.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To consider a report of the Corporate Director for Place Management & Regeneration.

The report provides details relating to the consultation information for the statutory consultation on the Clean Air Plan (CAP) and the taxi and private hire common minimum licensing standards (MLS) asking Members to encourage people to participate in the consultation process.

The Area Committee is recommended to note the report.

Officer contact: Sue Stevenson on 0161 474 4351 or email: sue.stevenson@stockport.gov.uk   

A representative of the Corporate Director (Place) and Deputy Chief Executive submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) providing details relating to the consultation information for the statutory consultation on the Clean Air Plan and the taxi and private hire common minimum licensing standards, and asking Members to encourage people to participate in the consultation process.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To consider a report of the Corporate Director for Place Management & Regeneration.

The report provides the details relating to the consultation information for the statutory consultation on the Clean Air Plan (CAP) and the taxi and private hire common minimum licensing standards (MLS) asking Members to encourage people to participate in the consultation process.

The Area Committee is recommended to note the report.

Officer contact: Sue Stevenson on 0161 474 4351 or email: sue.stevenson@stockport.gov.uk   

A representative of the Corporate Director (Place) and Deputy Chief Executive submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) detailing the consultation information for the statutory consultation on the Clean Air Plan and the taxi and private hire common minimum licensing standards and asking Members to encourage people to participate in the consultation process.

The following comments were made/issues raised:-

·         How many people would be using the ‘try before you buy’ scheme and how would it be insured. In response, it was stated that Stockport would get a number of vehicles for residents/businesses to try for up to one month and would be targeted at Hackney Cabs and not private hire with a common scheme to be adopted across Greater Manchester.

·         Why are there no electric charging points within the Clean Air Zone, as currently there is a relatively small number of charging points that are being financed. In response, it was noted that this issue had already been raised with the Government by Greater Manchester (GM) leaders with the debate over funding ongoing and the Government wanting their own funding mechanism for electric vehicles and charging via OLEV to be used rather than Greater Manchester using their own. It was also stated that many residents with electric vehicles charge them at home, and rapid chargers are being considered for placement at local/district centres.

·         It was stated that the taxi licensing plan for uniformity over Greater Manchester did not help with problems such as vehicles with ‘plates’ from other cities operating in Stockport and this needed to be addressed. In response, it was stated that discussions were taking place over national standards and in Greater Manchester funding was being linked to taxis registered within the Greater Manchester are so the incentive would be to register within the GM area.

·         It was stated that without the financial incentives it would not have much of an impact and that the funding from Government was insufficient and would result in the current goals not being and the risk that the plan would fail.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To consider a report of the Corporate Director for Place Management & Regeneration.

The report provides details relating to the consultation information for the statutory consultation on the Clean Air Plan (CAP) and the taxi and private hire common minimum licensing standards (MLS) asking Members to encourage people to participate in the consultation process.

The Area Committee is recommended to note the report.

Officer contact: Sue Stevenson on 0161 474 4351 or email: sue.stevenson@stockport.gov.uk   

A representative of the Corporate Director (Place) and Deputy Chief Executive submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) providing details relating to the consultation information for the statutory consultation on the Clean Air Plan and the taxi and private hire common minimum licensing standards and asking Members to encourage people to participate in the consultation process.

The following comments were made/issues raised:-

·         A Member referred to the calculations behind the judgement that these measures would reduce air pollution to within the legal limit and requested details of the calculation and the figures involved. This referred to Officers at Transport for Greater Manchester having calculated the total air pollution generated by all transport in Greater Manchester and also the air pollution generated just by vehicles affected by the Clean Air Zone.

·         The legal requirements meant that the Clean Air Plan process had been designed to deliver compliance at all locations in the shortest possible time. The process had been developed to ensure that the air pollution levels met legal requirements at all locations (not just average levels), including the A34, A6 and Stockport town centre. Poor air quality had been predicted across all ten Greater Manchester districts, and therefore the Greater Manchester Clean Air Plan involved a Greater Manchester-wide Clean Air Zone, set at the level which delivered legal compliance across Greater Manchester. Therefore, all locations were predicted to see improvements in air pollution as a result of the Greater Manchester Clean Air Plan.

·         Census information would give an indication of additional car journeys in Stockport and also the proportion of residents transferring to cycling and walking as modes of transport, and this was being monitored over long periods.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To consider a report of the Deputy Chief Executive (Place).

The report provides details relating to the consultation information for the statutory consultation on the Clean Air Plan (CAP) and the taxi and private hire common minimum licensing standards (MLS) asking Members to encourage people to participate in the consultation process.

The Area Committee is recommended to comment on and note the report.

Officer contact: Sue Stevenson on 0161 474 4351 or email: sue.stevenson@stockport.gov.uk   

A representative of the Corporate Director (Place) and Deputy Chief Executive submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) detailing the consultation information for the statutory consultation on the Clean Air Plan and the taxi and private hire common minimum licensing standards and asking Members to encourage people to participate in the consultation process.

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

·         Members raised concerns that charges on commercial vehicles may unduly effect small tradespeople and taxi drivers and become an extra tax on them rather than an effective measure against air pollution.  Members were asked to encourage public feedback on the report so as to ensure that a full support package could be put in place to mitigate these potential impacts.

·         In response to a query about whether any roads would be excluded from the scope of the scheme, it was stated that the only local exclusion was proposed to be the A555 between Macclesfield Road and Wilmslow Road to ensure that vehicles starting and ending their journey in Cheshire East borough were not subject to charging.

·         In response to a question from a councillor, it was stated that there was an end-point to the introduction of charges, however Greater Manchester needed to be able to demonstrate two years of compliance before charges could be removed.  In was confirmed that current modelling predicted compliance by 2024.

·         The report noted that a similar scheme in Nottingham had led to a 40% conversion rate to cleaner commercial vehicles, but forecasted a 20-25% conversion rate in Stockport. Members questioned why this was the case, to which it was commented that the Nottingham scheme had covered a much smaller, city-centre area.

·         Members questioned how the revenues generated by the scheme would be used.  Members were reassured that the scheme was self-funding and that any revenues would be reinvested or spent more generally on transport improvements across Greater Manchester.

·         Concern was raised that there could be loopholes for drivers, such as taking longer routes to avoid charges. It was commented that charges would apply across all entrances to Greater Manchester and would be enforced with a significant number of cameras.

·         Members requested a link to the consultation that they could pass on to residents.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To consider a report of the Corporate Director for Place Management & Regeneration.

The report provides the details relating to the consultation information for the statutory consultation on the Clean Air Plan (CAP) and the taxi and private hire common minimum licensing standards (MLS) asking Members to encourage people to participate in the consultation process.

The Area Committee is recommended to note the report.

Officer contact: Sue Stevenson on 0161 474 4351 or email: sue.stevenson@stockport.gov.uk   

A representative of the Corporate Director (Place) and Deputy Chief Executive submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) detailing the consultation information for the statutory consultation on the Clean Air Plan and the taxi and private hire common minimum licensing standards and asking Members to encourage people to participate in the consultation process.

It was commented that the report was welcomed as a practicable and reasonable process on improving air quality.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.

To consider a report of the Corporate Director for Place Management & Regeneration.

The report provides details relating to the consultation information for the statutory consultation on the Clean Air Plan (CAP) and the taxi and private hire common minimum licensing standards (MLS) asking Members to encourage people to participate in the consultation process.

The Area Committee is recommended to note the report.

Officer contact: Sue Stevenson on 0161 474 4351 or email: sue.stevenson@stockport.gov.uk   

A representative of the Corporate Director (Place) and Deputy Chief Executive submitted a report (copies of which had been circulated) detailing the consultation information for the statutory consultation on the Clean Air Plan and the taxi and private hire common minimum licensing standards and asking Members to encourage people to participate in the consultation process.

The following comments were made/ issues raised:-

·         It was commented that the proposals would affect all residents in Stockport.

·         It was noted that there were a number of areas in the Werneth area where there were NO2 exceedances and that this plan attempts to improve that situation.

·         Poor air quality affected the most vulnerable residents the most.

·         It was stated that there were proposals for significant residential development in Tameside that would have a consequential impact on the highway network in the Werneth area resulting in increased congestion and a potential worsening of air quality.

RESOLVED – That the report be noted.