Committee warns of worsening UK air quality
Summary
Despite being warned in 2010 of air pollution’s contribution to early deaths in UK cities, evidence shows that the situation has worsened and the Government should urgently take charge to change policy.
In the report 'Air Quality - a Follow Up Report’ (HC 1024) the Environmental Audit Committee concludes that dangerous levels of particular matter and chemicals in the air are contributing to tens of thousands of early deaths every year.
Under European Union air quality laws the daily pollution levels of particular matter (PM10) must not be above the legal limit on more than 35 days in a year, but according to the 'Campaign for Clean Air in London', by 21 April 2011 London had already exceeded this year's target.
The Committee has discovered that Ministers appear to be actively trying to dilute safety standards to avoid EU fines with 30,000 deaths in the UK reportedly linked to air pollution in 2008, and 4,000 in London alone.
Business plans produced by the Department for Transport and the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs do not refer to air quality despite a commitment within the Coalition agreement to work toward full compliance with EU air quality standards.
Subject to new procedures in the Localism Bill the Government will be able to pass EU fines for air pollution breaches to local authorities. However, a number of concerns about the ability of councils to tackle this problem without coordination and assistance from central Government have been raised, and points out that the causes of poor air quality are often beyond the control of an individual authority.
The Committee is calling on the Government to establish a national framework of low emissions zones to help local authorities reduce traffic pollution, as well as urging Ministers to launch a public awareness campaign to drive air quality up the political agenda.
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