London Mayor is joined by most-polluted cities in writing to Theresa May
Mayor of London Sadiq Khan, and the leaders of the five UK cities worst affected by air pollution, have written to Prime Minister Theresa May urging action for cleaner air.
Sadiq Khan and the leaders of Birmingham, Derby, Leeds, Nottingham and Southampton are calling for:
- Making vehicle manufacturers more accountable for emissions – with a zero-tolerance approach to malpractice
- National minimum emissions standards for private hire vehicles to ensure local requirements are not undermined
- Greater regulation powers over the use of diesel generators
- A new 21st century Clean Air Act to update existing legislation
- Enshrining the ‘right to clean air’ in law after the UK leaves the EU
- Unlocking new powers for local authorities, particularly regarding limiting construction and river emissions.
The letter describes the government’s current £3m fund for local authorities to clean up their air as “woefully inadequate” and criticises the uncertainty around funding for transport schemes for preventing accurate and detailed planning in the long-term.
Mr Khan says: “As city leaders, we are doing what we can to tackle this problem, but the fact is we are fighting with one arm tied behind our backs and lasting progress will only be made if national government matches the ambitious action we are taking.”
The government is preparing to consult on a new national air quality plan to meet legal limits for nitrogen dioxide, following a recent High Court ruling against its previous plan.
Sadiq Khan is also urging the government to adopt his proposals for a diesel scrappage fund, which would grant £3,500 for up to 70,000 London van and minibus drivers to buy cleaner vehicles, and £1,000 to scrap the city’s oldest taxis.
It reaffirms the Mayor’s commitment to tackling air pollution as a top priority.
