 Traffic pollution is linked to deaths |
The CIEH has criticised Defra for its approach to tackling
the UK’s air pollution problem despite being in breach of EU limits for years.
In its response to Defra’s consultation on its draft air
quality plans, the CIEH warns, the government is failing to address key issues
such as attracting commuters off the roads, for example through cutting the
price of rail travel, and reversing the trend in the use of diesel cars, that
have over recent years out-paced the sale of petrol cars.
It said the government is failing to take an holistic approach
to NO2 breaches and is relying largely on local authorities introducing clean
air zones as a solution.
‘The problem with Defra’s approach is that it is hanging its
hat almost completely on the implementation of “Clean Air Zones”, which in
effect just pushes responsibility on to local authorities with no mention of
how this is going to be realistically implemented or funded,’ warns CIEH principal
policy officer Howard Price.
‘It`s not at all clear that the European Commission is going
to be satisfied with the UK government kicking the can down the road as a sign
that it is serious about its intent to address NO2 breaches as soon as possible.’
Around 80 per cent of NOx emissions in areas where the UK is
exceeding NO2 levels are due to transport, in particular diesel vans and cars
where emission standards have not met expectations and vehicle numbers have
grown significantly.
Government figures show that the Greater London urban area,
West Midlands urban area and West Yorkshire urban area will be in breach of NO2
emissions until after 2030. Tyneside, Liverpool, Nottingham, Sheffield and
Bristol will not be compliant until 2025 unless significant abatement steps are
taken
The UK has been in breach of the EU air quality directive
since 2010.
Under Defra`s proposals and subject to the forthcoming
spending review local authorities will be `incentivised` to implement a Clean
Air Zone to reduce NO2 emissions. Controls may be imposed on just buses, taxis
and coaches, or may also include HGVs and light good vehicles. In some areas it
may be necessary to exclude private diesel cars from city centres as well.
However the Defra plan fails to make clear where the money
will come from to help local authorities fund clean air zones. Money will be
needed to conduct feasibility studies around boundary zones, to assess what
vehicles should be excluded, to provide monitoring infrastructures, signage and
arrangements for charging.
‘Implementing a clean air zone is really not an easy thing
to do, you have to consider displacement effects, vehicles are going to be
diverted into other areas potentially causing pollution hot spots elsewhere or
traffic congestion,’ warns Mr Price. ‘This is all going to take time and expertise
which will, against the trend in local government staffing, need to be funded.’
Under the Environment Act 1995 the government has the power
to instruct local authorities to implement clean air zones, if they decline to
do so.
Earlier this year the UK Supreme Court ordered the
government to prepare and consult on new air quality plans for submission to
the European Commission by the end of 2015. The ruling followed a case taken by
the environmental lawyer organisation Client Earth against Defra.
Client Earth announced this week that it has ‘no choice’ but
to take the government back to court unless it makes ‘drastic and fundamental
changes’ to its air quality plans which it describes as a ‘shambles’.
A Defra spokesperson said: ‘Tackling air pollution
is a priority for this Government, which is why we have invested heavily in
green transport, committing £2 billion since 2011. We are reviewing submissions
to our recent consultation and will report back in December.’
Defra also points
out that their consultation is seeking evidence from local authorities on the
best measures to take to improve air quality and that it will be complying with
the Supreme Court ruling and submit its air quality plans by 21 December 2015.
It is estimated that the NO2 effects on mortality are
equivalent to 23,500 deaths annually in the UK.