A Greater Manchester MP has attacked Andy Burnham for going again on his pledge to introduce a cost for drivers to journey contained in the clean air zone, calling it “utterly ridiculous”.
Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham sat down with GB News political editor Christopher Hope the place he vowed by no means to introduce a charging zone in Greater Manchester.
A clean air zone was initially meant to be launched in May 2022, however was scrapped months earlier due to issues round funding for companies to entry cleaner, CAZ-compliant autos.
Despite this, indicators and cameras can nonetheless be seen round Greater Manchester, with Andy Burnham saying he would favor to not have a charging space and as a substitute introduce strategies to restrict emissions, together with the brand new Bee Network electrical buses.
WATCH NOW: Andy Burnham on Manchester’s Clean Air Zone
James Daly, Conservative MP for Bury North, spoke to Ellie Costello and Mark Longhurst on The Live Desk, saying: “What I’ve simply heard has almost made me throw up.
“In March 2017, when Andy Burnham was standing to be elected because the Mayor of Greater Manchester, he requested the Government so as to add Greater Manchester to an inventory of six areas the place a clean air zone may very well be imposed.
“He requested for the ability to try this. After that, he spent someplace between £60 and £70million making an attempt to impose a 493 sq. mile charging zone upon the individuals of Greater Manchester.
“He was telling us till just lately that we have been going to have 493 sq. miles of charging zone. That’s what he needed.
“It’s ridiculous, it is completely ridiculous. I’ve been arguing for a non-charging clean air zone for years and years and years.
“Do you realize why he modified his thoughts? Before the final mayoral election the backlash in opposition to his plan was a lot, the person of nice precept that he’s, he dropped the clean air zone charging plan at that stage.”
Mr Daly identified how the Scottish-made Bee Network buses are paid for by the British taxpayer and attacked Burnham’s plans for lively journey, particularly the cycle lanes across the metropolis.
He additionally claimed that the cameras round Greater Manchester have been costing £375,000 a month, regardless of “nobody using them”.
There are greater than 1,300 clean air indicators in place, with “under review” stickers positioned excessive till a proper resolution on the zone is made.
Presenter Ellie Costello highlighted how Andy Burnham had incessantly known as for better transport provisions for the north, being particularly vocal within the HS2 debate.
She added that Andy Burnham was being proved proper by the truth that Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was being required to drive to the Conservative Party Conference, somewhat than take the practice due to strikes.
James Daly responded, saying: “Perhaps Andy may have a chat along with his mates within the commerce unions and ask them to get the trains working. That’s a purely political strike and there’s no justification in any respect for that.
“Why do you suppose he’s saying this now? He is ‘the good politician’, he’ll say something. The ‘King of the North’ routine is what you get with him.
“Nothing that Andy Burnham has achieved has made a jot of distinction to any of my constituent’s lives.”
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Andy Burnham launched the Bee Network bus service this week
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Earlier this week, Andy Burnham met with different Labour mayors from across the nation, together with Sadiq Khan, to name on the Government to maintain the HS2 plans in tempo, warning that it might depart the north of England with “Victorian infrastructure”.
