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| Europe refuses UK air pollution reprieve | Europe refuses UK air pollution reprieve |
| (about 9 hours later) | |
| By Roger Harrabin Environment analyst | By Roger Harrabin Environment analyst |
| Government plans to delay air pollution improvements in 12 UK areas have been refused by the European Commission, which says air quality must improve. | Government plans to delay air pollution improvements in 12 UK areas have been refused by the European Commission, which says air quality must improve. |
| The UK may now face fines if it fails to improve air quality quickly. | The UK may now face fines if it fails to improve air quality quickly. |
| Air pollution reduces average life expectancy in the UK by up to eight months, href="http://www.defra.gov.uk/publications/files/pb12654-air-quality-strategy-vol1-070712.pdf" >according to the government's own statistics. | |
| But ministers have been slow to meet agree European standards on cutting levels of the pollutant NO2. | But ministers have been slow to meet agree European standards on cutting levels of the pollutant NO2. |
| This comes mainly from vehicles. It causes problems with breathing - particularly for people with heart or lung problems. | This comes mainly from vehicles. It causes problems with breathing - particularly for people with heart or lung problems. |
| The UK has been denied permission by the commission to delay air quality improvements in 12 areas - Aberdeen and north-east Scotland; Belfast; Birkenhead; Brighton; Bristol; Liverpool; Preston; Sheffield; south-west England; south Wales; Swansea and Tyneside. | The UK has been denied permission by the commission to delay air quality improvements in 12 areas - Aberdeen and north-east Scotland; Belfast; Birkenhead; Brighton; Bristol; Liverpool; Preston; Sheffield; south-west England; south Wales; Swansea and Tyneside. |
| Second-biggest threat | Second-biggest threat |
| A judgement will be made at a later date on government plans to delay meeting NO2 standards in major cities until 2020 - or in the case of London, 2025. | A judgement will be made at a later date on government plans to delay meeting NO2 standards in major cities until 2020 - or in the case of London, 2025. |
| London has the worst air of any European capital, and the UK is likely to be fined over the failure. | London has the worst air of any European capital, and the UK is likely to be fined over the failure. |
| Air pollution is recognised by the government as the second-biggest public health threat, after smoking. It costs the UK an estimated £20bn a year - that's more than twice the amount estimated for obesity, which gets far more publicity. | Air pollution is recognised by the government as the second-biggest public health threat, after smoking. It costs the UK an estimated £20bn a year - that's more than twice the amount estimated for obesity, which gets far more publicity. |
| Daniel Instone, giving evidence on behalf of Defra, said ministers were considering a nationwide network of low-emission zones in which the most polluting vehicles were banned. | Daniel Instone, giving evidence on behalf of Defra, said ministers were considering a nationwide network of low-emission zones in which the most polluting vehicles were banned. |
| Simon Birkett, a campaigner from Clean Air in London, said the commission's ruling suggested that such a network would now be inevitable. | Simon Birkett, a campaigner from Clean Air in London, said the commission's ruling suggested that such a network would now be inevitable. |
| NO2 pollution affects long-term health. Experts giving evidence to the Environment Committee, EFRA, said the health of Olympic athletes visiting over the summer should not be harmed as long as the UK avoids a heat-induced smog episode. | NO2 pollution affects long-term health. Experts giving evidence to the Environment Committee, EFRA, said the health of Olympic athletes visiting over the summer should not be harmed as long as the UK avoids a heat-induced smog episode. |