COUNCIL bosses want to encourage their employees and residents to switch to electric cars to reduce pollution levels.

Earlier this year it was discovered that a section of the A62 bypass, which runs from King Street roundabout to the traffic lights at Mumps, will exceed allowed pollution levels by 2021, according to data modelling.

The findings revealed that without direct action, nitrogen dioxide rates on that stretch of the road are expected to rise, and have a detrimental impact on public health.

As a result the government published a plan to bring concentrations within the statutory limits in the shortest possible time.

And Oldham’s cabinet has now formally agreed to submit a feasibility study to the government’s Joint Air Quality Unit to ensure that they meet the air quality targets.

Among the proposals are plans to incentivize drivers or light goods vehicles and cars to switch to electric vehicles – including council employees, their partner staff, and private hire taxis.

Cabinet member for neighbourhoods, Cllr Arooj Shah, told the cabinet meeting that they had been mandated by the government to review all available options to make sure the link road complies with nitrogen dioxide levels.

She said: “I’d just like to make recommendations to the cabinet to approve in principle the preferred option to bring forward the nitrogen dioxide compliance in the shortest possible time frame, to ensure that we legally comply with the EU directive.”

The cabinet report, authored by Carol Brown, director of environmental management, states that they have agreed with DEFRA to take a “local approach, focusing on the stretch of road identified by the government to respond to the individual directive placed against Oldham, but recognising that more detailed work is ongoing through TfGM to support the regional approach, which has a greater likelihood of improving air quality across the region”.

It’s considered that general reduction measures around car emissions will be most likely to have an impact on the stretch of the A62.

The main source of emissions are diesel cars, including taxis, followed by light goods vehicles and then HGVs.

Communications campaigns could also seek to raise awareness of the health and cost benefits of different modes of transport.