Mayor pledges cleaner buses, taxis and lorries to improve capital's air quality

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, today (5 October, 2009) published a comprehensive set of measures to clean up the capital's air, to improve the health of Londoners and enhance our quality of life. He also called on Government to fully back the plan with adequate policy and financial support.

'Clearing the Air', the Mayor's draft air quality strategy, outlines the key sources of London's harmful airborne pollutants and proposes an action plan to reduce emissions. The pollutants of particular concern are nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and fine particulate matter (PM10) - road transport is the main source of emissions - with emissions from gas used in homes and businesses also a large contributor of NO2. A significant proportion of pollution is also transported into London from outside the capital.

The Mayor is already implementing a range of measures in London to improve air quality such as converting buses to hybrid, record levels of investment in cycling and plans to prepare London for the introduction to the mass market of electric vehicles. But the Government faces large fines of potentially millions of pounds from the European Union if legal air quality targets are not met across the UK. The Mayor's analysis of air quality has lead to the proposed measures in this strategy, which are aimed at London being able to meet its legal targets for PM10s. The Mayor will be working with the Government to develop broader measures to seek to meet NO2 targets for 2015. The strategy projects a 20-25 per cent reduction in PM10s in central London by 2012 and between a 35-40 per cent reduction in NO2 by 2015.

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, said: 'I want to improve the quality of life for Londoners. By 2012 the eyes of the world will be on our city, and I am determined that we will be a cleaner, greener and less polluted city, that safeguards the health and well being of its citizens.

'Dirty air creates a deeply unpleasant feel to our city. Noxious fumes belched out by our everyday activities affect the most vulnerable in our society such as children, older people and those with health problems who need protection.

'These proposals call for everyone to play their part in curbing pollution but those who contribute more to this problem should be expected to do more to provide the solution. 'We are taking robust steps to tackle emissions but we cannot shoulder this burden alone. The additional measures I am proposing will deliver improvements in air quality, but they need financial and policy support from others especially the Government. Poor air quality desperately requires national policy solutions with adequate funding to support them.

‘Whilst we must take bold steps to become a cleaner, healthier city, it is my duty as Mayor to balance both the city’s environment and economic needs. The Low Emission Zone is currently being effective in deterring the dirtiest and older heavy goods lorries, buses and coaches from driving on our streets. Larger vans and minibuses will also have to meet emissions standards to avoid charges when driving in the Zone but this will not be implemented until 2012 giving a reprieve to smaller businesses, charities and the self-employed who would most be affected, and giving them extra time in tough economic conditions to get cleaner vehicles and avoid charges. I am confident this decision will ensure greater compliance at the time we press ahead with these tougher measures.’

Key measures contained in 'Clearing the Air':

Improvements proposed ahead of or by 2012:
· Taxis are responsible for around 35 per cent of road transport PM10 exhaust emissions in central London, where PM10 problem areas are: the Mayor proposes to introduce an age limit for taxis and minicabs starting with a 15 year age limit in 2012, tightened to a 10 year age limit in 2015. He will also require that all taxis and minicabs being licensed for the first time from 2012 are euro 4 compliant. This will remove the oldest, most polluting taxis from the streets – this will be taken forward in full consultation with the taxi and PHV industry, and to explore how best to finance its implementation. The Public Carriage Office is also exploring how we can take advantage of new technology for cab engines eg: hybrid technology, that will be greener and save on fuel costs;
· The current Low Emission Zone will continue to operate to reduce emissions from the heaviest, most polluting vehicles; the Mayor will introduce phase 4 of the scheme in January 2012 to require Euro IV standards for HGVs, buses and coaches;
· The Mayor will introduce phase 3 of the Low Emission Zone covering larger vans and minibuses in 2012 - this is a reprieve for small businesses, charities and self-employed Londoners who will be most affected by this measure, allowing more time to fund vehicle replacement in tough economic times;
· Tailored action plans for air quality hotspots to implement a package of intensive measures to tackle pollution - this could include directing the cleanest buses (currently hybrid) into these areas; planting street vegetation, and encouraging better traffic management;
· Special measures on the highest pollution days: working with the boroughs, the Mayor will develop a package of special measures for implementation (eg: cycling days and more traffic management) on days of the highest concentrations to reduce people's exposure to emissions;
· Action days - campaigns to encourage people to take action to cut pollution on the days of highest pollution concentrations for example, cycling or walking on certain days and in certain areas;

· Better public information especially for those most vulnerable to high pollution days; for example supporting the expansion of the AirText scheme that sends information to people's phones; putting up to date, pollution information on the Greater London Authority website and TfL's journey planner;

· A London wide homes energy efficiency programme to cut domestic emissions and initiatives to do the same in office buildings; · The introduction of tight standards for construction and demolition sites;
· 'Eco-driving' training for GLA group drivers;

Improvements proposed by 2015:

· London's bus fleet is already the cleanest in the UK but the largest source of NOX from transport is still from buses and coaches. The Mayor will ensure that all of London's buses meet at least Euro IV standards for both PM10s and NO2 by 2015 - this will involve retrofitting around 2,800 buses;
· From 2015 A "phase 5" of the Low Emission Zone will be introduced for NOx covering HGVs, buses and coaches - this will need support from central government in establishing a suitable certification and testing regime for the required retrofitting equipment;

· The Mayor is committed to procuring 1000 electric vehicles in the Greater London Authority Group public fleet by 2015. He is also investing in new infrastructure and standards to support his target of 100,000 electric vehicles on the streets as soon as possible; London's air quality has improved in recent decades and is on a par with most large European cities, but still suffers from the worst air pollution in the UK. Poor air quality reduces the quality of life for all Londoners but can cause serious health problems for some of the most vulnerable people, such as young children and older people as for example, it worsens asthma and affects those with existing heart and respiratory conditions.

Kate Ravenscroft, Asthma UK’s Campaigns and Parliamentary manager, said: ‘We are happy to see that the Mayor’s policy is broad and includes both traffic and non-traffic sources of pollutants. Two thirds of people with asthma say that traffic fumes trigger their symptoms and nearly a third say that a reduction in air pollution is the single thing that would make the most difference to their quality of life.
‘Measures to reduce people’s exposure to these substances are therefore very welcome and we hope these measures will help London achieve its regulatory targets for emissions.’
Liz Cavan, Chair of Council of the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy (CSP), said: `The Chartered Society of Physiotherapy is hopeful that the Mayor’s new strategy will offer many positive initiatives to tackle pollution and reduce the health risks to Londoners. The fact that some parts of London have not so far been meeting EU targets for fine particulate matter PM10’s, will have meant an unpleasant quality of air for healthy individuals in those areas but the consequences can be especially serious for people with lung diseases like asthma and emphysema.  Clean air should be a right for all Londoners to enjoy and the CSP is delighted to see the Mayor commit to tackling this problem.’

Professor Sir Malcolm Green, British Lung Foundation spokesperson, said: ‘The British Lung Foundation welcomes the Mayor's proposed air quality strategy. Any initiative, which reduces harmful emissions for Londoners is a positive step forward, particularly for the most vulnerable such as the elderly and very young. Improving the air we breathe should mean fewer premature deaths, reduced hospital visits, and fewer GP consultations for people with respiratory disease.’

Chairman of London Councils Transport and Environment Committee, Councillor Mike Fisher, said: ‘We welcome the Mayor’s commitment to improving air quality in London and are working on our own response to the draft strategy, highlighting the contribution boroughs can make given the right level of resources. Boroughs are best placed to ensure that local areas benefit from any measures put into place although clearly other organisations in the capital also have important roles to play.  We are delighted that the Mayor has raised the importance of working in partnership and look forward to joining forces in the fight against air pollution in the capital.’

'Clearing the Air' is now being issued for consultation with the London Assembly and the Greater London Authority's functional bodies including Transport for London, London Fire Brigade and the Metropolitan Police Authority and other interested parties - the consultation period will last until 30 November. In early 2010 a second version of the strategy will be published for formal public consultation.

Over the coming months, the Mayor will discuss with government funding for measures included in this strategy as well as developing a shared approach to improve air quality in the capital.

ENDS

Notes to editors:

1. The Mayor’s air quality strategy can be seen at: http://www.london.gov.uk/mayor/environment/air_quality/index.jsp

2. The Mayor and the London boroughs are legally required to work towards certain national air quality objectives. The Mayor has a legal responsibility to prepare and keep an up to date Air Quality Strategy.

3. Subject to the changes announced by the Department for Business Innovation and Skills on 28 September 2009 being implemented, many of the vehicles affected by the deferred LEZ Phase 3 will be eligible for the Government’s scrappage scheme – we will be pressing government to extend this to cover all those vehicles affected.

4. Road transport is the main source of particulate matter (PM10), the highest concentrations of which are restricted to a small number of hotspots, mainly in central London. Road transport and domestic gas are the main sources of NO2 emissions of which hotspots are located more widely across London.

5. In general, 40 per cent of PM10 concentrations in central London and 25 per cent of NO2 concentrations in Greater London are caused by emissions coming from outside London.

6. The government has requested an extension to 2011 to meet EU limit values for PM10 and will request an extension to meet NO2 limit values by 2015. 25 of EU members states are exceeding PM10 limit values in at least one part of the country – normally the major cities.

7. There is a range of measures already being delivered in London to improve air quality:
· 56 hybrid buses in the London fleet by the end of February 2009, the largest fleet of hybrid buses in the UK. A further 300 new hybrid buses will join the fleet by March 2011, after which it is expected that all new buses entering service in London will be hybrids.
· Delivering five hydrogen hybrid fuel cell buses, emitting nothing but water, next year. 
· Funding of £1m to trial low carbon technology in London's taxi fleet. The aim of the programme is to reduce carbon emissions from taxis and to deliver benefits for local air quality.
· Supporting, through TfL’s Climate Change Fund, the introduction of a fuel efficient driving campaign aimed at both taxi and private hire drivers.
· Smoothing traffic flow to increase the reliability and predictability of journeys, including through tackling “stop-start” traffic conditions, which have a particularly detrimental impact on air quality.
· Introducing schemes to encourage motorists to leave their car at home and use more sustainable methods of transport. These include the introduction a bike hire scheme to London to make bikes available to all.
· An Electric Vehicle Partnership supporting the greater uptake of electric vehicles, which have zero tailpipe emissions. The Mayor’s electric vehicle delivery plan was published in May 2008 and has target to get 100,000 new electric vehicles on London’s roads as quickly as possible and to deliver 25,000 charge points by 2015.
· A cycle public hire scheme in 2010 and 12 cycle superhighways by 2012
8. The 2009 Londoner Survey found that pollution from traffic was the second biggest concern for Londoners, after litter. 

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