| Topic: | DEFRA air quality consultation | |
| Posted by: | Michael Robinson | |
| Date/Time: | 23/09/15 08:46:00 |
| To pick up on the consequences of what the car manufacturers and government have been doing, the Supreme Court has ruled that the government must put plans in place to improve the appalling air quality in the UK. DEFRA released their consultation on Saturday 12 September. Only a cynic would say this was timed to coincide with media attention on the Labour leadership announcement. https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/air-quality-draft-plans-to-improve-air-quality Basically the consultation approach is to shift the buck for improving air quality onto local/regional government. I was at the Conservative mayoralty hustings last night and it was encouraging that all four candidates recognised and agreed that air quality in London was a major issue and action was required. We'll need to see what their specific proposals are. Worryingly Zac Goldsmith seemed to think it would all be solved by electric vehicles. Electric vehicles are part of the solution as they at least shift pollution outside cities but it will be years before there are significant numbers and tens of thousands will die from pollution in the meantime. |