Oldham’s Liberal Democrat Leader has criticised wasteful clean air signs after Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham was forced to backtrack on his plans for a £60 per week Clean Air Zone.

Shaw Councillor and Leader of Oldham Liberal Democrats, Howard Sykes MBE said, “Everybody can see the Clean Air Zone (CAZ) for what it is, a complete and utter shambles.  In recent weeks, we’ve had the spectacle of Mr Burnham going cap-in-hand to the Government asking to be allowed to scrap the charges from his Clean Air Zone.  This U turn is welcome but why did he not do this in the first place?  This is just months after he announced plans to implement Europe’s largest clean air charging zone.  And just weeks after he had to scurry around Greater Manchester correcting all the CAZ signs because his plan had unravelled.”

Thousands of road signs across Greater Manchester announcing the new Clean Air Zone coming into effect had to be corrected in late March with stickers reading ‘Under Review’.  Councillor Sykes called the signs “a shameful waste of public money at a time when money is tight,” as he issued Mayor Burnham with a challenge.

Councillor Sykes said, “Instead of trying to distance himself from his own policy, the Greater Manchester Mayor should be honest with Greater Manchester taxpayers about just how wasteful his Clean Air Zone is becoming.  Just how much public money have you wasted on Clean Air Zone signs across Greater Manchester?”