Green Party Member of the European Parliament for the East of England Catherine Rowett has called for greater action from the European Union to tackle air pollution in the Eastern region, as new data shows that out of 43 reporting zones in the UK, the Eastern region is the seventh worst.
The figures from the UK Government on air pollution across the country reveal that the average levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) in the Eastern region over the past year have been running at 54μg/m3. This is at 1.4 times the legal limit, since the legal limit for safe concentrations of NO2 is 40µg/m3.
Air pollution is known to be seriously damaging to human health. It can stunt children’s growth and damage their brains. It has been linked to 800,000 deaths a year in Europe – meaning it kills more people than smoking. (3)
The main source of NO2 is from road transport, which is estimated to account for 50% of emissions. Yet this week the Chancellor Sajid Javid announced £25bn in additional funding for roads, including the A28 between Cambridge and Milton Keynes, and the Long Stratton bypass in Norfolk. (6)
The environmental law charity Client Earth, which successfully took the UK Government to court over air quality for a third time last year, said the figures released this week prove “the UK government has made almost no progress in meeting legal obligations that should have been met in 2010”.
Catherine Rowett MEP said, “Knowing what we do about the serious effects air pollution has on human health, we should be furious that Governments have repeatedly failed to act. Even now they are irresponsibly proposing to fund more roads, which will lead to more pollution across more previously unspoiled parts of our region.
“Instead of privileging cars, we have to invest in public transport, protect trees, and ensure planning enables people to access their schools, pubs, and workplaces conveniently and affordably on foot or by public transport.
“Since the UK Government is failing to take sufficient action, I am asking the European Union to help, and I am urging the incoming European Commission to make air pollution a key priority for its new mandate. I have also asked whether they will provide funding for initiatives designed to reduce air pollution in the worst-affected cities, including great improvements to public transport.
“Cities in the East of England are currently lagging far behind many other European cities in public transport. We too should have clean trams and metro trains, hire bikes and e-scooters to provide quick clean journeys for every purpose.” (8)