Covid may not to lead to lower air pollution in the long term, council boss says
More people are working from home but changes still need to be made to improve the air quality in the borough
Last updated 17th Feb 2021
More people working from home due to the pandemic may not result in any long-term improvements in air quality, Wigan councillors have been told.
There is still some uncertainty about the impact the coronavirus crisis will have on air quality, but it is not expected to lead to ‘sufficiently long-term reductions’ in pollution, according to a report published by Wigan council.
It comes as a Clean Air Zone is set to be introduced across all of Greater Manchester’s roads except for motorways, with a daily charge for the most polluting vehicles – although private cars, motorbikes and mopeds are exempt.
Wigan council is required to lower nitrogen dioxide levels which had been exceeding legal limits and, despite changes in transport patterns during the pandemic, is progressing with its collaborative plans for a Clean Air Zone.
Regulatory services manager Julie Middlehurst told councillors in Wigan on Monday (February 15) why Covid may not have the desired long-term impact.
She said: “There’s lots of questions being asked about how Covid has impacted air quality. What we do know is of course there will be some impact.
“For example, we know that a lot of people have been working from home as a result of the pandemic, although we did see that traffic flow return to 80 pc of pre-Covid levels before the second lockdown.
“So there is some uncertainty as to how sustainable the working from home position will be with businesses going forward.
“There’s also an assumption that some people may have been less willing to use public transport as a result of concerns about using that.
“And also we understand that there may be some businesses that may be unable from a financial position to upgrade their vehicle fleet which they may have done in ordinary times.
“So what we do know is that further work needs to be undertaken to try to understand the longer term impacts of Covid, though it is felt at this stage that it might not actually result in any long-term air quality benefits.”
The Clean Air Zone will affect all roads in Greater Manchester, except for motorways and any other roads which are managed by Highways England.
Starting in spring 2022, buses, coaches and heavy good vehicles which do not meet emission standards would pay £60 every day to enter the Clean Air Zone while taxis and private hire vehicles would pay a daily charge of £7.50.
Light goods vehicles such as vans and minibuses would also have to pay a daily charge of £10, but would benefit from a temporary exemption until 2023.
Greater Manchester is asking for more than £150m from the government to help residents, businesses and organisations prepare for the Clean Air Zone, including a £10m hardship fund to support those most impacted by the plans.
The government has already committed £41m of funding towards the total sum requested by Greater Manchester and further funding is anticipated.