The Challenge

Transport accounts for around one-third of carbon emissions in Greater Manchester. So changing the way we move around our city-region will have a huge impact.

It will also help to clean up the air we breathe. This couldn’t be more important as air pollution contributes to over 1,200 deaths in Greater Manchester each year.

What we need to do

To do this, we need to reduce our reliance on cars and move to more sustainable ways of travel like walking, cycling and public transport. We also need a shift away from using high-polluting vehicles – choosing cleaner, greener options, like electric. Transporting goods by road to more planet-friendly options like rail will also help reduce the negative impact.

If each one of us made small changes to the way we get about Greater Manchester – travelling less and making short journeys on foot or by bike – it would make a huge difference!

What are we doing?

Encouraging and enabling people to make active and sustainable travel choices is central to Greater Manchester’s vision for a fully integrated, London-style transport system – the ‘Bee Network’. Work has started to accelerate this shift to greener, more environmentally friendly modes.

The city-region is set to deliver the UK’s largest cycling and walking network which will be complemented by the roll-out of the new Bee Network Cycle Hire scheme later this year, following the current trial in selected locations. We are also is expanding and enhancing public transport. This means new and improved interchanges, stops and stations, improved Metrolink capacity and bringing bus services back under local control so that everyone has access to better buses with simpler fares and ticketing.

The city-region also has an ambitious vision for electric vehicles (EVs). The UK plans to phase out the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles by 2030. That’s a big change for drivers, and we’re committed to help people make the switch to electric. We want people who need to drive in Greater Manchester to buy an electric vehicle with confidence, knowing that they can recharge it quickly and easily. And we’ve got a plan to get there.

On top of this, all ten Greater Manchester local authorities are working together with government to develop a joint Clean Air Plan to clean up the air we all breathe. This will bring levels of harmful nitrogen dioxide (NO2) air pollution on local roads within legal limits as soon as possible and by no later than 2026, in line with the latest government direction.

Resources

The Bee Network
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Going Electric – You’re in Charge
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Clean Air Plan
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Five Year Environment Plan Summary
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GM Green City Logo