Manchester Is My Planet Steps Up A Gear With Green Badge Parking
Published: 30th July 2007
A unique scheme that offers incentives to drivers who switch to low emission vehicles has been launched in Manchester.
Green Badge Parking (GBP), a joint venture between Manchester City Council and NCP car parks, offers season ticket holders with more environmentally-friendly cars a 25% discount off the annual cost of parking in the city.
Owners of vehicles with emissions of less than 120g/km (CO2) and 0.02
(particulates) will be entitled to the discount - with some drivers saving over £900 per year by using a greener vehicle. The launch of the scheme follows a recent survey of nearly 35,000 cars parked in Manchester, which revealed only 2.2% were classed as low emission.
In addition to the discount, drivers who join the scheme also benefit from especially reserved parking bays that are painted green and clearly signposted in NCP’s city centre car parks.
GBP is the first scheme of its type in the UK to encourage drivers to switch to lower emission petrol or diesel cars rather than simply penalise those that run ‘gas guzzlers’. It has been developed in partnership with Manchester is my Planet (MIMP), a programme of activities aiming to help the whole of Greater Manchester become a cleaner and greener conurbation through emitting less CO2.
MIMP spokesperson Leila O'Sullivan, said:
“Green Badge Parking is just one example of how the MIMP programme is helping individuals, councils and businesses adopt lower CO2 practices through innovative schemes that provide incentives and increase awareness of the steps we can all take towards a low carbon lifestyle."
Drivers can find out which cars qualify for the GBP scheme and how to apply by visiting the Manchester is my Planet website:
