As the latest estimates of premature deaths from vehicle pollution approach 7000 Green Assembly Member Jenny Jones calls for action to be taken to protect those going to school nearby heavily affected areas and to make the Ultra Low Emission Zone “sooner, stronger and bigger”.
As a result of not acting earlier on “the invisible killer” a generation is at risk of having its health “seriously impaired”. This is the conclusion of the House of Common’s Environment Audit Committee ‘Action on Air Quality Report’ released today. To tackle air pollution and meet Nitrogen Dioxide legal limits as soon as possible it recommends:
- No new schools, care homes or health clinics near existing air pollution hot spots;
- Fitting air filtration systems to existing schools in pollution hot spots
- Tackling loopholes allowing the removal of factory-fitted diesel particle filters.
The latest estimates of premature deaths as a result of vehicle derived emissions (from Particulates and Nitrogen Dioxide) in London in 2020 will be 6,851.
Jenny Jones pictured with co-deputy leader of the Green Party Shahrar Ali campaigning for cleaner air in London.
London Assembly Member Jenny Jones said:
“The Mayor’s delays and dithering on combating air pollution in London means that even more people will die prematurely. Action must be focussed around the thousand schools in London that are within 150 metres of a road carrying 10,000 vehicles per day and where children are disproportionately affected.”
“The Mayor’s Ultra Low Emission Zone proposals will achieve too little, its coverage will too limited and it will happen far too late. The Mayor must urgently rethink this policy by toughening it up, letting boroughs opt in to widen its coverage, and bringing it forward from 2020. We want it sooner, stonger, bigger.”
Jenny Jones has also advocated the following emergency and long-term measures to tackle air pollution:
Emergency measures in the run up and during dangerous pollution episodes:
- A smog forecast and alert system that informs the general public and particularly vulnerable people such as asthmatics, with more detailed messaging and resources at schools, hospital and emergency services. This could encourage behaviour change to reduce pollution (such as not driving) and to reduce harm (such as not doing vigorous exercise near main roads).
- Traffic restrictions on certain roads so only essential vehicles can travel along them.
Permanent fixes:
- Bring forward the Mayor’s Ultra Low Emission Zone by 2018 (Mayor’s plan is 2020) and extend the ULEZ to surrounding boroughs that want it.
- Clean up the bus fleet by only introducing new buses that are hybrid or electric and that meet or exceed the Euro VI air quality standard.
- Reverse the recent and expected future increases in traffic levels by investing more in the bus and cycling networks, cancelling road building projects