London must move faster on air pollution
The UK needs to speed up improving air quality and the capital must take a stronger lead
Thanks to European judges, the UK government may be taking a closer interest in Boris Johnson’s strategy for cleaning London’s air. A case won in the European Court of Justice (ECJ) by environmental group Client Earth has increased the legal pressure for Britain’s big cities to bring down the levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) spewed in them by diesel engines and inhaled in them by human beings. The capital is a serious NO2 offender. It needs to do more if both the city and the nation are to be brought into line.
At a recent air quality conference organised by London Councils and the City of London Corporation, the seriousness and costs of air pollution in all its forms were laid out with alarming clarity. Dr Gary Fuller of King’s College, who monitors the stuff, said NO2 exceeds EU limits by “factors of between two and three” in some London locations, including far from central hotspots, such as next to Brixton tube station and on Putney High Street.
Source: Guardian Transport
http://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/davehillblog/2014/nov/22/london-must-move-faster-on-air-pollution