In response to the Mayor’s announcement of the results of his air quality audit of local schools, and his pledge of a share of £1 million of funding to tackle toxic air levels in and around school premises across the capital, local London Assembly Member Len Duvall AM said:
“It is wholly unacceptable that children in Greenwich and Lewisham are subjected to dangerous levels of air pollution, especially while at school.
“The Mayor’s air quality audit, which involved a number of schools in our local community, is a significant step towards identifying some of the most effective mitigation measures that can be taken to protect our children from exposure to toxic air.
“I am delighted that Invicta and Haimo Schools in Greenwich, and Deptford Park, St James Hatcham C of E, and Haseltine Schools in Lewisham have been awarded a share of £1 million by the Mayor to put these measures in place. These include large-scale programmes such as closing roads and moving playgrounds, and cost-effective solutions such as the installation of green ‘pollution barrier’ hedges.
“It is also important that we encourage parents to play their part in tackling engine idling around school premises, by leaving their cars in the driveway and walking their children to school instead. TfL’s STARS scheme which encourages this, has around almost half of all London schools signed-up to it. To increase this number, the Mayor will also reveal his plans to make school walking routes safer and easier in his upcoming London Walking Plan.”
Notes to editors
-Today, the Mayor of London announced the results of his air quality audit of 50 schools across 23 London boroughs;
-The Mayor has also pledged £1 million of funding to tackle toxic air in and around school premises;
-A full list of schools who are receiving audits can be found here;
-Transport for London’s (TfL) STARS (Sustainable Travel: Active, Responsible, Safe) scheme aims to encourage more children to walk to school;
-The latest available data shows that almost half of London’s schools, 1,595 out of 3,300, have signed-up to the scheme;
Len Duvall AM is the London Assembly Member for Greenwich and Lewisham.