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The Mayor’s plans to clean up London’s air will only reduce deadly pollution by 0.3 per cent for people living in outer London by 2019 – Caroline Russell AM has called for tougher action.
Caroline Russell’s new report Left Out Londoners shows that even with the introduction of the Mayor’s clean air zone (the ULEZ) more than 74,000 people living in outer London will be exposed to illegal levels of nitrogen dioxide – the pollutant linked to heart and lung diseases, asthma and cancer.
People living in outer London have asked to be included in the clean air zone for all vehicles – giving them the best chance of cutting pollution levels and safeguarding their health.
Caroline Russell said:
Air pollution poses a serious threat to our health – I have met people from all over London who are deeply concerned about the damage dirty air is doing to them and their families.
Parents have told me they feel ‘profound guilt’ for raising their children in London and I have met entire families who developed asthma because they moved to an outer borough with bad air.
The Mayor must not leave these Londoners out – my report shows what people in outer London feel about air pollution and what action they want to see – they are desperate to be included in the Mayor’s plans.
It just isn’t fair to draw a line around central London and only focus efforts on reducing pollution there while thousands of Londoners will be left out – pollution doesn’t respect borough boundaries and we need a London-wide solution.
Caroline Russell’s report Left Out Londoners: Why we need a fairer ULEZ has five recommendations for the Mayor’s new air pollution plans.
- Aim for all Londoners to breathe safe air within EU limits for NO2 by 2020
- Consult on a London-wide Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) for all vehicles
- Base the diesel ULEZ standard on independent ‘real world driving’ emission tests
- Use World Health Organisation guidelines for the diesel ULEZ particulate matter standard
- Improve public transport, pedestrian and cycling provision, especially in outer London