The Government must commit to introducing a car scrappage scheme for older and more polluting vehicles, local London Assembly Member, Navin Shah AM, has urged. His calls come during London Climate Action Week and in the wake of reports that, as lockdown measures ease, air pollution levels are starting to significantly rise in cities across the country.
It was revealed this week that the Government is now unlikely to implement a nationwide scrappage scheme to stimulate the car industry coming out of the first outbreak of Covid-19.
City Hall rolled out its own polluting vehicle scrappage fund amidst the introduction of the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) in Central London in April 2019, and ahead of its extension to the North and South circulars next year.
Mr Shah calling upon the Government to urgently reconsider its decision and bolster the scheme currently being offered by City Hall which has given businesses, charities and individual Londoners cash grants towards the purchase of electric cars and bikes.
In May, TfL launched the London Streetspace scheme, which aims to transform roads and town centres in the capital to enable more walking and cycling, introduce car-free zones, clamp down on air pollution hotspots and help to facilitate continuing social distancing measures.
As part of this programme, TfL has so far allocated £125,000 of emergency walking and cycling infrastructure funding to Brent.
The University of Sheffield recently published research revealing that several UK cities, including London, had seen double digit growth in levels of air pollution between the first and second week of June. Before the Covid-19 pandemic, air pollution levels dropped by a third in Central London during the first six months of the ULEZ being brought in.
A survey commissioned by Addison Lee, published this week, showed that around half of its respondents are now opting to drive to work. This marks a 26% increase when compared to the pre-lockdown period.
Local London Assembly Member, Navin Shah AM, said:
“It’s disappointing that the Government are failing to seize this opportunity and introduce a nationwide car scrappage scheme as a part of a drive towards stimulating the electric car industry and wider green economy.
“We are now seeing worrying signs that air pollution levels are shooting back up as traffic increases on our roads. We are at real risk of undoing the progress we have made on tackling toxic air in London before the pandemic hit.
“As lockdown measures begin to ease in the capital, for the sake of tackling air pollution and aiding social distancing, it is vital that Londoners do not go back to relying too heavily on their cars to get around the capital.
“Our recovery from the first outbreak of Covid-19 will be helped along by an uptake in walking and cycling. This is why we are seeing significant investment in this from TfL through its new London Streetspace scheme”.
Notes to editors
- More information about London Climate Action Week can be found here. This year it will run in two instalments, between Wednesday 1st July- Friday 3rd July and then between 14th-20th November;
- It has been reported that the Government is now unlikely to implement a nationwide scrappage scheme;
- More information about City Hall’s car and motorcycle scrappage scheme can be found here;
- More information about TfL’s London Streetspace scheme can be found here. As part of this programme, TfL has so far allocated £125,000 of emergency walking and cycling infrastructure funding to Brent. A breakdown of the funding awarded so far can be found attached;
- The University of Sheffield recently published research revealing that several UK cities, including London, had seen double digit growth in levels of air pollution between the first and second week of June;
- Figures released by City Hall in October 2019, revealed that in the first six months of the ULEZ, air pollution levels dropped by a third in Central London;
- A survey commissioned by Addison Lee, published this week, showed that around half of respondents indicated that they are now opting to use their cars to get to work. This marks a 23% increase when compared to the pre-lockdown period;
- Navin Shah AM is the London Assembly Member for Brent and Harrow