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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/oct/10/the-need-to-tackle-londons-toxic-air
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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| The need to tackle London’s toxic air | The need to tackle London’s toxic air |
| (4 months later) | |
| Letters | |
| Tue 10 Oct 2017 18.45 BST | |
| Last modified on Mon 27 Nov 2017 15.39 GMT | |
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| It is of real concern to read that nearly 95% of London’s population live in areas exceeding WHO limits for particulate matter (Report, 5 October). Inner London’s location, its dense road network and high buildings mean that it suffers from poorer air quality than many parts of the country. We are assisting the mayor of London by developing a low emission neighbourhood, leading a London-wide clampdown on idling engines, and banning diesel from our own fleet. We have created a City Air App, which gives low pollution travel routes to over 20,000 Londoners and use our planning powers to ensure new buildings are energy efficient and low emission. | It is of real concern to read that nearly 95% of London’s population live in areas exceeding WHO limits for particulate matter (Report, 5 October). Inner London’s location, its dense road network and high buildings mean that it suffers from poorer air quality than many parts of the country. We are assisting the mayor of London by developing a low emission neighbourhood, leading a London-wide clampdown on idling engines, and banning diesel from our own fleet. We have created a City Air App, which gives low pollution travel routes to over 20,000 Londoners and use our planning powers to ensure new buildings are energy efficient and low emission. |
| This is having a positive effect and we welcome the mayor’s decision that from 1 January 2018 all newly registered taxis are zero-emissions capable. But more needs to be done. We want to see existing diesel private hire vehicles removed from fleets as soon as possible to protect the public from exposure to toxic diesel emissions – with current licences phased out by 2020.Jeremy SimonsChairman of the environment committee, City of London Corporation | This is having a positive effect and we welcome the mayor’s decision that from 1 January 2018 all newly registered taxis are zero-emissions capable. But more needs to be done. We want to see existing diesel private hire vehicles removed from fleets as soon as possible to protect the public from exposure to toxic diesel emissions – with current licences phased out by 2020.Jeremy SimonsChairman of the environment committee, City of London Corporation |
| • It’s deplorable that we continue to expose our children to lethal levels of air pollution. Such pollution is harmful to everyone, but for children the risk to their health is even higher. Their exposure is much greater and they absorb and retain pollutants in the body for longer. The mayor’s plans to tackle pollution by introducing the T-charge in central London from 23 October 2017 and a low emission zone in 2019 are welcome, but 9,500 Londoners a year are dying prematurely due to air pollution now. We need more widespread action and we need it sooner. | • It’s deplorable that we continue to expose our children to lethal levels of air pollution. Such pollution is harmful to everyone, but for children the risk to their health is even higher. Their exposure is much greater and they absorb and retain pollutants in the body for longer. The mayor’s plans to tackle pollution by introducing the T-charge in central London from 23 October 2017 and a low emission zone in 2019 are welcome, but 9,500 Londoners a year are dying prematurely due to air pollution now. We need more widespread action and we need it sooner. |
| The focus has to be on reducing car use. Motorised traffic is the biggest source of air pollution and a huge 23% of peak-time traffic is made up from those on the school run. One of the easiest and most effective ways to improve air quality is to enable more families to walk to school. Air pollution is a growing problem for all of our major towns and cities, with the Guardian and Greenpeace’s joint investigation in April finding that over 2,000 schools are within 150 metres of a road emitting illegal levels of NO2. The solution is the same across the UK: we need to create safe walking routes and encourage more children to walk to school. October is International Walk to School Month; it’s time to join the rest of the world in taking steps to fight air pollution.Tompion PlattHead of policy, Living Streets | The focus has to be on reducing car use. Motorised traffic is the biggest source of air pollution and a huge 23% of peak-time traffic is made up from those on the school run. One of the easiest and most effective ways to improve air quality is to enable more families to walk to school. Air pollution is a growing problem for all of our major towns and cities, with the Guardian and Greenpeace’s joint investigation in April finding that over 2,000 schools are within 150 metres of a road emitting illegal levels of NO2. The solution is the same across the UK: we need to create safe walking routes and encourage more children to walk to school. October is International Walk to School Month; it’s time to join the rest of the world in taking steps to fight air pollution.Tompion PlattHead of policy, Living Streets |
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| • Read more Guardian letters – click here to visit gu.com/letters | • Read more Guardian letters – click here to visit gu.com/letters |
| Air pollution | |
| Pollution | |
| London | |
| Schools | |
| Planning policy | |
| Primary schools | |
| letters | |
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