| Topic: | Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Air pollution on Chiswick High Road | |
| Posted by: | Andrew OSullivan | |
| Date/Time: | 05/11/15 12:47:00 |
| Very interesting. Thanks for such a considered reply. On the longer term impact on Chiswick children I think it is worth the risk. The recent uptick in air pollution has not brought us back to the level of my childhood when unleaded petrol was only starting to be introduced. I grew up in an urban area. I'm not aware of my contemporaries who have developed respiratory conditions as a result of breathing in the much fouler air we all did then. There are of course those who have trouble breathing but they did love their fags. I am less sanguine than you about the prospect of further growth in vehicle numbers. The non-car owning young professional moving into London will account for a significant number of vehicle movements due to the goods and services they will need. The factors you mention plus perhaps the most important one of rising fuel prices have squeezed out a huge proportion of discretionary journeys on London's roads. Now most vehicles I observe during the working week appear to be on the road for commercial purposes. The easy wins on reducing traffic volume have already been made. You make a very good point about the freight traffic of the major supermarkets. If a tax system could be introduced that encouraged greater use of local producers there could be huge benefits. The only idea I have for reducing traffic would be the creation of an on demand free transport service for the wheelchair bound and end the requirement for buses to be wheelchair accessible. They could then be narrower and less heavy making them more suitable for the residential roads they are currently being driven through. |