CAZ signs saga rumbles on as Burnham waits for government permission to take them down  

Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has confirmed he is waiting on the government to confirm whether or not now out-of-date Clean Air Zone signs across Greater Manchester can be removed.

The mayor’s controversial Greater Manchester-wide Clean Air Zone was put on hold in February 2022, but Burnham has since relaunched the project albeit without plans to charge road users.    

Leader of Oldham’s Liberal Democrats councillor Howard Sykes MBE had written to Burnham asking when the old signs would be removed and who would pay for the removal.  Burnham’s office responded saying that they were waiting for the government to confirm the signs could come down. 

Councillor Sykes said, “I think the fact that these signs are still up sends the wrong message.  Mayor Burnham is trying to talk about the new strategy for clean air across Greater Manchester but people are driving past his congestion zone charging signs several times a day and remembering what a pig’s ear he made of it all last time.  So, he’s just screaming in the wind at the moment until his government lets him take down those signs.”    

It is understood that the cost for removing the signage across Greater Manchester will be covered by the government.  A Freedom of Information investigation conducted by Oldham Liberal Democrats in 2022 revealed that Transport for Greater Manchester had spent more than £3 million on signage spanning the whole of Greater Manchester for a scheme that never came into effect. 

Councillor Sykes writes to Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham over CAZ signs

Andy Burnham
Mayor of Greater Manchester

Dear Mr Burnham,

Removal of CAZ signs across Oldham and Greater Manchester  

Following the recent update of the Greater Manchester Clean Air Strategy, it is now clear that the vast majority of CAZ road signs will have to be removed, including those in Oldham Borough. 

As you will be aware, a significant amount of public money has been wasted on CAZ signs given the review which very quickly followed after they were put up across Greater Manchester.   

I am writing to ask when this work is set to be carried out?  I would be grateful if you could provide a breakdown of the anticipated costs involved and provide assurances that costs will not be passed on to local authorities. 

I look forward to your detailed response.


Burnhams reply:

Hi Councillor Sykes,  

Thank you for getting in touch with me following the latest update on Greater Manchester’s Clean Air Plan (CAP). As you will be aware, Greater Manchester Authorities have made a submission to the government which shows that only the proposed investment-led plan meets the requirement to deliver compliance in the shortest possible time and by 2026 at the latest. Under the proposed plan, signs installed for a Category C charging Clean Air Zone across the city region would no longer be required. 

The investment-led plan is currently with Government for feedback and, ultimately, a final decision on the proposal and subsequent removal of signs is for Minsters to make.

TfGM, acting on behalf of the ten Greater Manchester local authorities, contracted with McCann & Co Ltd for the installation, maintenance and decommissioning of signs across 18 local authorities for a Greater Manchester wide Clean Air Zone. All costs associated with the Clean Air Plan, including the costs of signage, continue to be funded or underwritten by government. The costs associated with the removal of signage will be considered by the Air Quality Administration Committee once feedback has been received from the government and negotiations with the contractor on the scope of work have concluded.

I trust the above provides you with a useful update in relation to the Clean Air Plan and reassures you that this issue is being addressed with the relevant partners across our region. Thank you again for getting in touch to raise this with me.

Yours sincerely

On behalf of

Andy Burnham

Mayor of Greater Manchester

Oldham Liberal Democrats reveal the cost of Burnham’s CAZ signs (July 2022)
Clean Air Zone:  More than £3 million spent on signs Liberal Democrats reveal – Howard Sykes (mycouncillor.org.uk)