3 November 2016
Greens call for urgent action on air quality as High Court orders government to do more
Green councillors in Norwich have repeated their calls for more to be done to clean up the city’s air, after the High Court ruled that the government’s lack of action on the issue is illegal.
The verdict, in a case brought by legal NGO ClientEarth, comes 18 months after the government lost another court case on air quality and was ordered to draw up an action plan to tackle the issue. That plan, which left out many measures on cost grounds, has now been ruled so poor as to be illegal.
Green Party MEP Keith Taylor said: “Theresa May’s administration is failing to do even the bare minimum, as required by EU laws the UK itself helped to set, to improve the quality of the air we all breathe.
“The government must finally face up to its moral and legal responsibility for tackling Britain’s air quality crisis. Ministers must now be forced to make a firm commitment to maintaining and strengthening vital EU air quality laws.”
Norfolk county councillor Andrew Boswell argued that action is needed locally as well as nationally. “We are seeing complacency and inaction at every level on this public health emergency,” he said.
“Norwich City Council and Norfolk County Council have both claimed they are doing enough, despite the fact that Norwich has breached legal pollution limits for the last ten years.
“However, the government must not dump the issue on cash-strapped local authorities as they did last year. National leadership is needed from DEFRA including serious funding and legislation for transitioning away from diesel vehicles.
“The verdict today could not be clearer: the government’s disregard for toxic air is not only shameful and immoral, it is illegal. We applaud ClientEarth for keeping this issue in the public eye,” added Cllr Boswell. “Green councillors will keep up the pressure until we see real progress on cleaning up our air.”
Denise Carlo, Transport Spokesperson for the Green Party on Norwich City Council said:
“At present, Norwich is acting unlawfully in exceeding the EU limits for nitrogen dioxide in the city centre. Other pollutants such as small particulates which are dangerous to human health are present across the Norwich area. Air pollution extends beyond the Southern Bypass and the NDR will increase pollution around north Norwich and beyond.
Under the review of the Transport for Norwich strategy due for consultation next Spring, it is imperative that local politicians give priority to tackling air pollution and building a green transport system over building more major roads.” (1)
In failing to tackle air pollution, politicians are condemning everyone, especially children, to breathe in a harmful cocktail of poisonous gases and particulars and permanently damaging people’s health.”
Public Health England estimates that in Norwich in 2010, 5.5% of all deaths of people age 25 years and over were attributable to particulate air pollution. (2)
Norfolk County Council’s Green Party group of councillors presented a five-point plan to the council on cleaning up the county’s bus fleet, but the council has refused to make any new commitments.
For further information:
Councillor Andrew Boswell – 07787 127881
Councillor Denise Carlo – 01603 504563
Notes:
- 1. The current Transport strategy for Norwich involves removing general traffic from the city centre but shifting traffic to other roads and letting it grow on roads outside the city centre will allow air quality to deteriorate across the Norwich area. Air quality will only improve if the County takes steps to reduce traffic levels across Norwich and that means not building more roads and giving priority and space to public transport, local rail, walking and cycling.
