3 April 2014
Peter Cranie, the North West Green Party's European election candidate, has hit out at the government for its failure to tackle the UK's growing air pollution problem. The Met Office is warning that high or very high levels of air pollution will affect the Dee Estuary, Wirral and Merseyside today. Moderate air pollution levels are forecast to hit coastal North West England later.(1) People at risk of respiratory illness and other health conditions are advised to avoid physical exertion, particularly outdoors, especially if you have a cough or sore throat.
Peter Cranie said: “In the last 10 years air pollution has contributed to nearly 300,000 deaths in the UK, that’s the equivalent of the amount of people living in a city the size of Newcastle. It's an invisible public health crisis which we're only just waking up to."(2)
He continued: "Our government should be pushing for stronger air pollution laws from the European Union, rather than trying to water down the rules. Smog doesn't stop at borders and issues such as this show the need to work with our European neighbours to create laws that protect our environment and our health. Anti-EU parties like UKIP have their heads in the sand because they simply don't understand that we need EU wide co-operation on the environment.”
On this morning's BBC1 Breakfast programme David Cameron revealed that he didn't go for his usual morning run and excused the pollution as 'a naturally occurring weather phenomenon.' However officials in Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs say that the UK’s existing pollution problem was partly to blame, citing 'local emissions' as a contributing factor to the current smog.
Speaking on BBC Radio Merseyside at lunchtime today, Peter Cranie called for local transport strategies that would reduce pollution levels for pedestrians, cyclists and motorists alike. Key to this is a strong public transport system. Hemade clear that Liverpool Mayor Joe Anderson's policy of scrapping Liverpool's bus lanes will affect local people's health.
Peter Cranie said: "All year round we are living with dangerous levels of pollutants in our air. 80 deaths every day in the UK are caused by air pollution. The reason the EU is now taking legal action against the UK is that the government isn’t doing enough to tackle the problem. We need urgent action on air pollution. That means cutting down the diesel fumes in our towns and cities, and investing in clean, affordable public transport, instead of planning further roads which will increase harmful vehicle emissions, or scrapping bus lanes in Liverpool. David Cameron needs to stop shirking responsibility and start taking action now. To dismiss the facts and wilfully ignore this threat to our health is unforgivable.”
ENDS
Notes to Editors:
1. http://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/forecasting/
2. 29,000 people die every year because of air pollution: http://www.hpa.org.uk/webc/HPAwebFile/HPAweb_C/1317137020357
North West Green Party RSS Feed