The BVRLA has said that the government must provide “direction” to its Cities Devolution Bill to ensure that vehicles are not subject to different legislation in different cities.

In May, chancellor George Osborne set out plans for English cities to get more powers over areas such as transport as part of the Cities Devolution Bill.

As part of the move, a Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) will be established, with a remit similar to that of Transport for London (TfL).

BVRLA chief executive Gerry Keaney said: “We totally support, for example, a low emission zone and believe that our members will have a key role to play in delivering an efficient low emission zone. What we don’t want to have, and the government have been reluctant to step up to the mark on this, is a different low emission zone in Manchester, and a different one in Leeds, and a different one in Bristol.

“There is every possibility of that happening,” he warned.

“We do believe that government needs to support the local agenda, but it also needs to provide a direction and a national framework. It’s great to have a Northern Powerhouse, but it is important that there is a national framework, because we need to have vehicles than can run into Bristol and then into Birmingham – for example.”

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