TAXI DRIVERS UNITE TO TAKE BATTLE AGAINST CLEAN AIR ZONE PLANS THROUGH THE HEART OF SALFORD ONWARDS INTO MANCHESTER

Over 400 taxi drivers plan to take their protest against Clean Air Zone plans, through the streets of Salford and onwards into Manchester tomorrow morning.

A procession will set off from the grounds of Salford City Roosters on Hallsworth Road in Eccles at around 10:30am. It will then snake it's way up through Eccles, into The Quays and along Trafford Road on to Chapel Street, ending in Manchester City Centre at around 1:30pm.

Motorists are being advised to avoid the route if and where possible as heavy congestion is expected.

The drivers say that the introduction of a clean air scheme across almost 500sq miles of Greater Manchester (The largest CAZ in the country), would see many of them unfairly punished with charges of up to £60 for some vehicles types if they do not comply with limits which were set as a result of the Government loosing a high court case against climate protest group Client Earth. Failure to pay would result in a fine of £120 plus the daily charge.

Metro Mayor Andy Burnham has repeatedly said there was no other viable option but to enact the current plans as the Government demanded the air quality issue be tackled, although members of the over 84 Thousand strong Facebook protest group RETHINK the Clean Air Zone cite other areas with similar mandates having opted to tackle the problem without adding the burden and expense on to the motorist, many of whom are small businesses already struggling to cope with the aftermath of the pandemic.

Mr Burnham previously stated that he is ‘open to any solution’ that might cut pollution to legal levels without jeopardising jobs.

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“We have to get the air down to legal levels. Government is requiring us to do that. We want to do that, to clean up the air, without losing a job, a business or putting anybody into hardship."

However, earlier today the Prime Minister piled on the pressure as he waded in over the controversial scheme, when asked if he would intervene by Leigh MP James Grundy.

The prime minister branded the scheme as 'Completely Unworkable'. 

Mr Johnson said:

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"I know from my own experience how vital it is when you're trying to clean up air in a great city that you do not unjustly penalise business and small business and it's become clear that the scheme proposed by the Labour mayor in Manchester is completely unworkable, would do more damage to businesses and residents in Manchester.

"So we must find an alternative that doesn't punish local residents.

 "The Secretary of State for the Environment will be saying more about this in the coming days."

 

Similar protests last week, saw hundreds of rightfully angry taxi drivers take their protest to their respective townhalls in Bolton and Bury. Organisers in Salford hope to replicate that tomorrow.

Local taxi firm Swan Mini Cabs took to Facebook to say:

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“We will have some drivers on but it may be a slightly longer wait.

“Please accept our apologies for this we don’t want this to impact on our customers but if we don’t act now we will be charged £7.50 a day to drive around Manchester.

“If this charge was just in the city centre we could partially agree but this charge covers every road in all areas: Weaste, Salford, Winton, Monton, Eccles, Patricroft, Peelgreen, Brookhouse, Irlam and many many more.”

“Whilst we agree that pollution needs dealing with, by crippling the small self employed businesses who can’t afford to update their vehicles but also can’t afford to pay to drive their current vehicle is not the way to do it.

“So please accept our apologies if this affects you we will do our best to minimise disruption to our service.”

 

The taxi drivers are calling upon the support of the wider public, and for a little understanding as they fight for their livelihoods.