Environment, transport and clean air

Probably mentioned already but if there is such a push for cleaner air, then why are electric scooters not allowed as a way of reducing the over stretched public transport?  People are being fined and scooters confiscated or that is at least the threat!  In fact, what is the government or the the Mayor doing to make this transition into a greener society.  Any incentives and please, for the love of God, don't mention planting trees!!!

if we are to do our part then is there any incentive? Anywhere?  From grants for solar panels or grants to buy pure electric vehicles?  Yes I know they are congestion and low emissions zone exempt. Feels like the talk is far outweighing the walk!  

The expansion of the ULEZ to the North/South Circular should be stopped. Will impose large costs on Londoners (and of course a way for the Mayor to raise money which is what it is really all about) will negligible benefit in air quality terms. There is not public health emergency re air quality - it's just scaremongering.

Restricting traffic to cut pollution and congestion is desirable. Tolls and penalties must apply to all users of vehicles whether they are resident or visiting.. Discounts for residents must be banned, otherwise the objective of clean air and lower congestion will be defeated.

The extension of the cleaner transport area to the north and south circular roads is acceptable but it must include these roads. Many residents living in  these 2 major routes must be protected from the increase in dirty vehicles that will trundle around looking for a way round to avoid charges and penalties. Tower bridge must also be included in the scheme.

London's air is filthy.  To fix the problem will take much more than £2.1 million.  This part of the budget needs to be increased.   But the plan to expand the ULEZ is good.  We should not allow polluting vehicles into central London.  

To increase cycling there needs to be a specific commitment to expand the network of cycle lanes.   At present the mayor is mostly coasting on Boris's legacy.  

Whilst it is reasonable for serious consideration to be given to cyclists and walkers, such attention tends to ignore those who cannot cycle or for whom long walking is not realistic.  Many of these people are dependent upon buses, many of which become embroiled in traffic congestion. All bus lanes should be 24/7 and further thought should be given to extending the present network of bus lanes. Remember the advert from about the 1960s showing a Routemaster bus and a line of cars and stating that all the riders in the cars could be accommodated in just one bus. 

On a related subject, whilst I have no problem with cycling in itself, we work to different standards. Cyclists are allowed to travel without lights, cross red lights, fail to stop at zebra crossings etc. They also do not always dress appropriately (a black bag across the back obscuring the reflective jacket is pointless). My concern is their safety, not an attempt to stop them. As a car driver and occasional bus driver, I want them to be safe and I certainly do not want any involvement in their injury because of their behaviour of lack of visibility.

Air pollution is a serious problem - and the more we learn about it the more we realise we have to do something.

I am very concerned that the dreadful particulate pollution that has been identified on the tube is not being addressed. 

We need TFL to put in place measures to clean up the air in the tube tunnels - it is worse than at street level (according to the Air Quality Monitoring Unit at King's College London) and rather than freeze fares, we should pay more to get clean air.

Above ground, electric vehicles do help - but remember they only halve pollution levels of petrol and diesel vehicles (due to the significant tyre particulate pollution these heavier vehicles cause - again according to the AQMU at KCL).  Halving is good, but I think probably not going to be good enough.

I believe in the clean up of air in Citys in line with Technology, but your London Councils need to STOP charging 50% more for Tradesman parking with Euro 6 Diesel Vans. If we travel in for 2 hrs with a 3 Ton van into Camden & Islington they charge us the same for a old van as a new one for parking! There is no point in these Boroughs to change a old van for new. Electric doesn't cut it! Tradesman are getting further pushed out of London with House Prices.

The Playing around with Traffic Lights Timings & Stop/Start all the time rather then letting several sets of lights Turn Green. No more then 3 Cars through them after 11.30am. Cycle Lanes & 20 MPH so people who using their phones and are listening to Music when NOT looking crossing the road & Cyclists who have NO training on the road don't get hurt so much. Slowing Traffic cause more pollution.

We are all putting up are prices as we can't now travel across London in the Time we used too & extra 50% for Parking

Your are pushing prices up & up for work to be done. As you can't run and maintain a City on Push Bikes

Why do you always only pick on the Motorist?

You don't give Small & Large Companys time to get their fleet to all Euro 6 Diesels. Ignore the people/companys who can't avoid a new Van.Lest allow 7 years till all Van would be Euro 6 Diesel. Then put a Business Plan forward for the next 7 years so we can know what we need be gong towards.

Why not look at all the shops that don't have doors and charge them more rates to heat and cool the High Street as they are burning more Gas & Electricity/Look at allowing Double Glaze Panes of glass on old Buildings to stop heating or cooling escaping/Approve a old look Window design to be used with Double Glazing/Look at allowing Solar Slate looking Tiles to be used on old Buildings?

For electric vehicles it is important that the way the electricity is produced is also environmentally friendly, otherwise we are just shifting the problem.

I completely support the mayors plans to clean the air in London. We need the mayor to continue to take bold and ambitious action on air pollution and carbon emissions. This is an absolute necessity to improve the health of London's citizens and protect the health of our children. 

Hi,

I say that we need more action on cycle infrastructure.

I live 40 minutes cycle ride from my nearest cycleway which deters all but the most hardy of souls.

Only when we see a more complete network of routes will the real benefits people cycling in numbers be realised.

Thanks

An imeadiate ban on diesel cars & vans emitting visible smoke should be auctioned the legislation exists but is not enacted.

around schools a total ban within 500 m apart from treaidents should be introduced for every school.

yhe planting of a green hedge around all school playgrounds will massively reduce polution.

Clean Air is an absolute priority. Figures differ but all of them point to the fact that London air is causing respiratory illnesses and death. I live 100 yards from The Marylebone Flyover at the same level - a 2nd floor studio. My air has been measured on my window sill and the figures are off the scale. As well as the gases, the collection of particles requires me to clean my short nails twice a day. And that is also going into my lungs. Laudable as the Mayor's attempts are to tackle the problem, it is demonstrably, and scientifically proven, to be nowhere near to tackling the problem. I am resigned to a shorter life expectancy. It seems indisputable that cars are a major contributor. Public Transport is good in London and should be funded further to provide the capacity to accommodate all the whinging, selfish car drivers who do not really have to drive into London at the expense of Londoner's health. And their own. Drastic action to deter them is required to save Londoner's health. Assistance and support for the car drivers to completely stop all unnecessary journeys - such as commuting - is evidently a top priority.

Why are drivers allowed to sit with engines idling without any enforcement? It should be possible to report a vehicle registration number when this is witnessed and then for that driver to be followed up for prosecution. There are too many buses, taxis and HGVs as well as trucks left idling, increasing the pollution in London, as well as private vehicles.

There are too many apartments being built in central and greater London and encouraging more cars!  Parents driving their children to school when they could walk or take a bus. I've lived in zone 4 for 25 years and don't own a car by choice, but down my street you cannot move for parked cars.  The Mayor of London spends approximately 2 million a year on fireworks at new years eve which pollutes the air, chemicals from the fireworks can also affect your health.  Also this affects the wildlife and domestic animals, the money would be best spent on the transport system.  We need to fine drivers idyllyng when parked, ie leave their motors running.  Bus companies are contracted out to overseas companies why aren't the contracts given to British Companies or nationalised?  Majority of these companies are French, Dutch and German, why?  

I'm disappointed to see nothing above about charging infrastructure for electric car users. Lack of access to on-street charging points is a huge barrier to people considering switching to fully electric cars. The current system is very fragmented, I'm a member of four separate schemes, which is overly complicated. And even then, I sometimes struggle to find available, affordable charging points.

The spending plans all seem to make sense as we all want cleaner air. It seems to me that the elephant in front of our faces that is being ignored is the busses. It doesn't matter how green they are if they are mostly empty for most of the day (even in rush hour they are rarely full) and are allowed to block roads and junctions with apparent impunity (including yellow hashed junctions). Any basic study of bus use in central London will show that bus supply overwhelmingly outstrips demand. They therefore create massive congestion with resultant unnecessary pollution. London needs small hopper busses not empty mobile tourist sites.

You keep building more and more flats / house meaning more cars /traffic  getting anywhere in London you now have to leave earlier and earlier because  of the sheer amount of people commuting either on public transport or on the road it's is an absolute nightmare even at night the trains and buses are still packed at 11pm and last week I had to get night bus the N15 and could not get on the first 2 as they were full and driver only allowed people to get off and that was at 1.30am  its dire situation once upon a time trains were more or less empty at that time of night now it's rush hour 24/7