Greater Manchester investment led Clean Air Plan to tackle nitrogen dioxide exceedances at the roadside

Like many areas across the country, Greater Manchester has higher levels of air pollution on some local roads. Poor air quality has negative impacts on health, the environment and society.

Greater Manchester (GM) is under direction from central government to develop a Clean Air Plan to meet legal limits for nitrogen dioxide on local roads in the shortest possible time and by 2026 at the latest.

Government has approved an investment-led Greater Manchester Clean Air Plan as the best route to cutting roadside air pollution. The plan does NOT include a charging Clean Air Zone, but will bring air quality within legal limits in the shortest possible time and without causing hardship to residents or businesses.

The Clean Air Plan will use government funding already awarded to the city region for:

• a fleet of zero emissions electric buses, along with new charging infrastructure and upgrading some older buses to the latest (Clean Air Zone compliant) engine standard; 
• financial support to help GM licensed Hackney Carriages (black cabs) upgrade to cleaner vehicles 
• Local measures to manage traffic flow and improve air quality on some roads in the centre of Manchester and Salford on Quay Street and Regent Road, including signal timings and yellow box junction enforcement.

You can keep up to date on developments with the Clean Air Plan and sign up for updates at cleanairgm.com.

This page was last updated on 28 November 2025