The London Mayor’s Air Quality Strategy seems unlikely to reduce particulate emissions (PM10) by enough to meet the European Commission’s legally binding targets by 2012.
The strategy is the decisive factor in whether the Government will be fined an estimated £300m by the European Commission. The Government has made clear to the European Commission that if the Mayor decided to suspend Phase 3 of the London Low Emission Zone, it would expect him to put in place other measures that would deliver equal, if not greater, improvements to air quality.
Darren Johnson, Green member of the London Assembly since 2000, and parliamentary candidate for Lewisham Deptford, said:
"It looks likely that the London Mayor has landed the Government in court by his decision to delay the implementation of stage three of the Low Emission Zone until 2012. If it is needed in 2012, then it is needed now."
"It is clear that the Mayor’s other measures to reduce particulate (PM10) emissions just won’t do enough. That is why the Mayor is talking about planting hedges and a small forest of trees at the main pollution hotspots, such as the Marylebone Road. I’m all for planting more trees and hedges, but we need Boris to stop the pollution not just plant trees if we are to prevent the 3000 premature deaths in London each year"
Notes to Editors
1) Lawyers at City Hall have advised that the Government can overrule the Mayor and impose the higher standards on 90,000 vans in London if it is necessary to meet the legal limit for particulates (PM10).
2) The draft Air Quality Strategy summary states: "This strategy proposes a further comprehensive package of measures that, together with strong action at the national level, can bring London’s air quality up to EU targets…"
The summary also accepts that PM10 hotspots will still exist in a few years. "… within a few years the number of PM10 hotspots will be focused on a small number of locations in central London."
3) Isabel Dedring, the Mayor’s Environment Adviser is quoted in the Standard saying "At the time we didn’t know just what the effect the implementation of the Phase 3 of the LEZ would have but, looking at the figures, its something we have to do."