Cameras installed in anticipation of the Clean Air Zone are to remain in operation in Greater Manchester in spite of the scrapping of a charging scheme.

Metro Mayor Andy Burnham and his lead for clean air Eamonn O'Brien set out a non-charging scheme during an event at GMCA HQ on Wednesday.

If their alternative approach is approved all of the signs, a lot of which are adorned with "Under Review" stickers, are to be removed. Cameras installed in anticipation of the Clean Air Zone are to remain in operation, however, as their Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology is of use to the police.

Mr Burnham said there was no way he would allow a return to a situation where the police were not able to use the infrastructure to investigate "some serious, serious offences".

Messenger Newspapers: Andy Burnham and Eamonn O'Brien

Mr Burnham said: "Greater Manchester has a lower level of ANPR technology in place across the road system and the introduction of the cameras increased their capability to police the road system such that the number of crimes brought to charge is really something. We are talking some serious, serious offences.

"I appreciate some have civil liberties concerns about them but as the Police and Crime Commissioner for Greater Manchester there is no way I would countenance going backwards from a situation where the police are able to deal with those investigations in a different way."

There are more than 400 cameras all over the region, the first of which was installed on Vernon Street, Bolton, more than two years ago.

Mr Burnham said Transport for Greater Manchester is the data owner but there is a possibility for the police to become a data owner too.

Messenger Newspapers: The event at GMCA HQ on Wednesday

Mr Burnham said: "GMP make an application to TfGM to access the cameras and it cannot be done in a real-time situation. It builds in a delay.

"Imagine a real-time situation where there is an crime or a missing person and it makes sense for them to be able to access all of the information." 

He added: "Absolutely I will be making an argument to the government for the cameras to stay. 

"But there is no intention at any point as long as I am mayor to use them for a charging scheme."

In 2022, a charging scheme was scrapped in favour of a non-charging scheme, which was submitted to the central government around a year and a half ago. It came after a big backlash to the idea in the region. 

The Environment Secretary asked for additional evidence comparing the impact of a charging scheme to the impact of a non-charging scheme and this additional evidence is ready to be resubmitted to the central government once approved by the Greater Manchester Air Quality Administration Committee on December 20.

Mr Burnham and Cllr O'Brien said it is fairer and faster for the region to reach its targets on the amount of nitrogen dioxide in the atmosphere through an investment than it is through the introduction of the charges.

They asked for more than £80 million to be spent in areas like upgrades to buses and bus depots as part of the rollout of the Bee Network and upgrades to taxis to low-emission vehicles or zero-emission vehicles.

This article was written by Jack Tooth. To contact him, email jack.tooth@newsquest.co.uk or follow @JTRTooth on Twitter.