Be the change

What can I do?

When you’re out and about you might be breathing in polluted air without realising it. And how you travel can make it worse.

The good news is, a few simple changes could help protect you, your family and others.

The biggest change? Drive less. Greater Manchester’s Bee Network is making cleaner, greener travel easier than ever.

Leave the car at home when you can: take the bus, train, tram, cycle, walk or wheel. It cuts pollution and can also be better for your health.

Top tips to avoid and reduce air pollution

Here are a few ideas that could work for you. It might not be possible to do them all, but every small change we make can help clean up our air.

Walk or cycle more

Cut down on time in your car by walking, wheeling and cycling more. This will reduce air pollution and it’s cheap and healthy. Being stuck in traffic can expose you to lots of pollution. Polluted air can get sucked into your car, and often stays trapped there for you and your family to breathe in.

Top tips for drivers

Could you swap the car for cleaner, greener travel? For longer trips, try public transport. And with a third of all journeys under 1km made by car, why not walk, wheel or cycle instead? If you need to drive, there are ways to reduce your impact. Every small change helps.

Recycle your air

If you’re stuck in traffic, you can be exposed to more air pollution inside your car than outside. Polluted air can get sucked into your car, and often stays trapped there for you to breathe in. So, if your vehicle has a recycled air setting, remember to use it.

Mythbusting: Engine idling

Idling is leaving your vehicle’s engine running when it’s not in motion. Here are some idling myths and facts, that could help reduce your emissions and save money!

False

Turning your engine off and on again doesn’t damage your engine, drain the battery or waste fuel. In fact, it is much better for the health of your engine than idling. Idling for just 10 seconds wastes more fuel than restarting the engine.

False

The best way to warm up a vehicle is to drive it. Modern engines don’t need more than a few minutes to warm up as you drive. Leaving the engine running when you’re parked up can actually increase wear and tear.

False

Engines will stay warm for 30-60 minutes after switching off, so you needn’t worry about your heater going cold, and stopping and starting doesn’t affect the lifespan of modern engines.

False

Traffic wardens can fine you if you’re parked somewhere you shouldn’t be, whether your engine is running or not!

False

Idling for an hour can waste half a gallon or more of fuel. Think of the amount of money you’re wasting over the course of a year. It’s also bad for your engine and can mean higher maintenance costs.

What we’re doing

We’re working to make Greater Manchester a cleaner and healthier place to live, learn, work, visit and do business in.

Through the Bee Network, we’re joining up zero emission electric buses, trams and trains with park and ride, and safe cycling and walking routes.

So we can all get around in a way that improves our air quality and helps Greater Manchester keep growing.

We’re also working with government on a new investment-led Greater Manchester Clean Air Plan.