Responding to the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
report on improving air quality, Cllr Martin Tett, Environment
spokesman at the Local Government Association, said:
“Councils are working with the Government to develop local
plans to tackle air pollution. The Committee is right to
recognise the unique position of individual councils to
understand the causes of air quality issues in their area, which
is why they need the flexibility to deliver their own plans to
improve air quality in their community. This is particularly
important with regard to clean air zones as well as expanded road
and traffic measures.
“These local plans, developed with communities, will
include a range of measures to deliver cleaner air and it’s
essential they are approved swiftly by the Government, and fully
funded and resourced. If the Government’s air quality plans are
to be successful, they not only need to be underpinned by this
local flexibility and sufficient funding but also accompanied by
robust national action.
“Good air quality is vital for our health and quality of
life as well as the environment and councils would support a
national public health campaign to raise awareness of the risks
of poor air quality and the actions people can take to help
tackle it.
“Councils agree with the Committee that the
2040 target set by the Government for the end of the sale of
conventionally-fuelled vehicles is too far away to tackle a
public health problem that is shortening lives now. It cannot
overlook the immediate measures that could have drastic
improvements on public health in areas where air quality problems
are at their most severe.
“National investment in roads is helpful, but with the
number of cars on our roads increasing, an overarching strategy
is needed to tackle rising levels of congestion. This needs to
include councils outside of London also being given powers to
enforce moving traffic violations to tackle congestion hotspots
and improve air quality. We also continue to call on government
to introduce national scrappage incentives which councils believe
would encourage a shift away from diesel cars towards low
emission vehicles.”
