Pollution


Coronavirus lockdown has improved air quality, scientists find 01/04/2020 Air pollution across the UK’s largest cities has fallen since the start of the lockdown, new analysis has shown.
The balancing act: reducing emissions and improving transportation 17/02/2020 Paul Moorby outlines how using Big Data to analyse real-time traffic information can help councils to refine traffic management policies whilst reducing carbon emissions.
A quarter of population exposed to toxic air, charity warns 04/02/2020 A quarter of people in the UK are living in areas with dangerous levels of air pollution, a new study has warned today.
Environment Bill to give councils ‘clear framework’ to tackle pollution 30/01/2020 Local authorities will have a clear framework for tackling air pollution with the introduction of the Environment Bill, according to the Government.
Edinburgh council announces aim to be a ‘million tree city’ 29/01/2020 Edinburgh City Council has announced that it is working on an ‘action plan’ aimed at increasing the number of trees in the city to one million.
Family ‘left in distress’ after council fails to investigate noise complaint 29/01/2020 A council in West Northamptonshire has been criticized by the Ombudsman for its handling of a noise complaint from residents living near an industrial estate.
Brighton considers becoming a ‘car-free’ city 28/01/2020 Brighton & Hove City councillors have agreed to look into the possibility of the city becoming ‘car-free’ by 2023.
One in 19 deaths in cities due to air pollution, think tank reveals 27/01/2020 A think tank has urged councils to take urgent action to improve air quality in cities after research reveals that more than one in 19 deaths in urban areas is caused by pollution.
Council clamps down on idling drivers by removing coach parking spots 23/01/2020 Westminster City Council is removing prime parking spots for coaches after drivers ignored previous warnings to turn off their engines while parked.
Air pollution 'major public health emergency’, charity warns 13/01/2020 Heart and circulatory disease deaths attributed to particulate matter air pollution could exceed 160,000 over the next decade in the UK, according to a health charity.
Oxford councils propose UK’s first Zero Emission Zone 08/01/2020 The final draft proposals for the UK’s first city centre Zero Emission Zone (ZEZ) have been published as part of a drive to reduce Oxford’s ‘toxic air pollution levels’.
Road run-off 'is pollution risk to London rivers' 02/01/2020 Sadiq Khan has called for more Government cash to tackle road run-off after a ‘pioneering’ study found that it is a pollution risk to the capital’s rivers.
Council aims to make York city centre ‘car free’ 02/01/2020 York city centre could become a ‘car free’ zone as part of a council effort to make the city carbon neutral by 2030.
‘Vast majority’ of council vehicles run on diesel despite pollution concerns 11/12/2019 Over 90% of vehicles operated by local authorities run on diesel despite council efforts to tackle air pollution, new research has revealed.
Air pollution like smoking 150 cigarettes a year, charity warns 05/12/2019 People living in areas that have high levels of air pollution have an increased risk of death equivalent to smoking over 150 cigarettes a year, charity warns.
Bristol backpedals on diesel vehicle acquisition 03/12/2019 Bristol City Council has suspended its roll-out of a new vehicle fleet after purchasing dozens of diesel vehicles despite a planned city centre diesel ban.
Hedges around parks can halve pollution, study finds 21/11/2019 Planting a hedge in front of a park can cut air pollution in half, a new study has found.
Five Bristol residents die prematurely each week due to pollution 18/11/2019 Air pollution in Bristol, largely caused by diesel cars, contributes to five people dying prematurely every week, new research has revealed.
Bristol council considers banning diesel vehicles 30/10/2019 Bristol City Council is considering banning diesel vehicles in what it claims will be the quickest way to reduce nitrogen dioxide in the air.
Khan launches £25m ‘scrap for cash’ polluting vehicle scheme 24/10/2019 Low-income and disabled motorists in London will receive up to £2,000 for scrapping their old, polluting cars.
Queen's Speech 19: Councils promised new powers to tackle pollution 14/10/2019 The Queen’s Speech promised an Environment Bill which will establish a ‘world-leading’ independent regulator, the Office for Environmental Protection, and hand some new powers to councils.
Councils urged to apply for funding from £2m air quality pot 04/10/2019 The Government has today announced the latest round of funding to help local authorities improve air quality across England.
Health chiefs recommend new air pollution curbs 19/09/2019 Environment and public health chiefs have made a raft of recommendations to tackle air pollution in London, including new local measures to reduce car use.
Cities make business case for air quality funding 02/09/2019 Leaders of cities with illegal levels of air pollution are calling for the Government to boost spending on air quality, arguing that a fund of £1.5bn could generate up to £6.5bn in returns.
Whitehall carbon emission target ‘undeliverable’, MPs warn 22/08/2019 MPs have warned the Government that there are no policies in place to deliver the net-zero carbons emissions target by 2050.
Over 10 million patients in hospitals with ‘dangerous pollution levels’ 19/08/2019 Nearly a quarter of hospitals in England are located in areas with poor air quality, new research reveals.
Think tank calls for fuel duty rise to tackle pollution 12/08/2019 A think tank has called for tough action to tackle air pollution, particularly from road transport, including higher fuel prices and a default 20mph urban speed limit.
London boroughs eye £750 workplace parking charge 25/07/2019 Several London boroughs are considering introducing workplace parking levies (WPLs) of at least £750 a year to cut pollution and encourage active travel.
Online tool to calculate health impact of trees published 11/07/2019 A new online tool which can help councils calculate how much pollution would be removed by planting trees in local areas has been launched.
Birmingham CC to pilot ‘car free’ areas outside schools 10/07/2019 A scheme to ban vehicles from roads near schools at the start and end of the day is to be tried in Birmingham from September.
Air pollution ‘shortening the lives of children’, report reveals 08/07/2019 A new study has revealed that air pollution could be shortening the lives of children in Birmingham by seven months.
Grayling promises 'tougher penalties' for vehicle idling 01/07/2019 Transport secretary Chris Grayling has threaten drivers who leave their engine on while parked with ‘tougher penalties’ in an effort to reduce air pollution.
Policies to clean up air pollution ‘effective’, research suggests 27/06/2019 Policies to clean up air pollution in the UK over the past 40 years have led to significant reductions in human exposure to air pollution, research suggests.
UK commits to reducing greenhouse gas emissions to ‘net zero’ 27/06/2019 The UK has become the ‘first major economy’ to pass a law to end its contribution to global warming by 2050.
Coventry ordered to implement clean air zone 17/05/2019 Coventry City Council has accused the Government of using ‘heavy handed’ tactics after it was ordered to implement a clean air zone.
Hackney publishes guide to banning traffic outside schools 17/05/2019 Hackney Council has launched a new toolkit designed to help local authorities ban traffic outside of schools at opening and closing times.
Scrap older cars and replace them with ‘mobility credits’, Welsh ministers told 09/05/2019 Welsh ministers will today hear how pollution could be tackled by scrapping older cars and replacing them with credits to use on buses, trains and daily car and bike hire.
Councils urged to tackle light pollution 17/04/2019 Councils have been urged to take action to limit the impact of artificial light from streets and buildings by the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE).
Khan hails 'landmark day' as London ULEZ begins 08/04/2019 London’s ultra low emission zone (ULEZ) – described by mayor Sadiq Khan as the world’s toughest vehicle emissions standard – began on Monday.
Councils must finalise air quality plans or face legal action, lawyers say 27/03/2019 Environmental campaigners have written to 38 local authorities warning them to finalise their air quality plans or face legal action.
Birmingham faces 'major public health crisis’, council warns 14/03/2019 Birmingham City Council has been given the go-ahead to introduce a clean air zone to tackle what it has called a 'major public health crisis'.
Planners ‘must do more’ to protect people from pollution 28/02/2019 The Government's health advisers say planning authorities must make sure new building projects protect people from air pollution.
Council rolls scooters out in bid to tackle pollution 13/02/2019 Children in Leeds will soon be travelling to school on scooters instead of in cars as part of the council’s push to clean up the city’s air.
Whitehall launches ‘ambitious’ clean air strategy 14/01/2019 The Government’s new clean air strategy aims to cut the costs of air pollution to society by nearly £2bn every year by 2020, although critics warn it lacks detail.
York invests nearly £2m to improve air quality 10/01/2019 City of York Council plans to invest £1.6m in order to reduce the exhaust emissions from local bus services.
Khan launches five ‘clean air’ zones 16/11/2018 Sadiq Khan yesterday launched five new ‘clean air’ zones in a bid to clean up some of London’s worst polluted hotspots.
West Midlands to invest £43m in ‘congestion busting projects’ 07/11/2018 Local leaders in the West Midlands will this Friday consider plans to invest £43m in projects designed to tackle the region’s congestion problems.
Whitehall’s response to air pollution ‘lacks ambition’ 29/10/2018 Health bodies have criticised the Government’s approach to pollution and called for legally enforced air standards to ensure cleaner air across the UK.
‘Deep flaws’ in planning system driving car-dependency 24/10/2018 The planning system is leaving new housing developments without adequate walking, cycling and public transport connections, transport organisation warns.
Local leaders call for £1.5bn to tackle air pollution 23/10/2018 Local leaders from across the political spectrum have called on Philip Hammond to fill a £1.5bn black hole they argue exists in the funding needed to fight air pollution.
City leaders call on PM to take action on air pollution 28/08/2018 Leaders of the UK’s major cities have joined forces to urge Theresa May to take ‘tough and urgent’ action to deal with air pollution.
Council proposes 10-point plan to tackle air pollution 08/08/2018 Oxford City Council has called on the Government to adopt a 10-point plan to tackle high air pollution levels which contribute to 40,000 deaths every year.
Whitehall publishes plan to boost take-up of ‘ultra low emission cars’ 09/07/2018 The Government today announced that it wants at least half of new cars to be ultra low emission by 2030 in an effort to tackle air pollution.
Millions of children exposed to ‘toxic’ air pollution, charity warns 21/06/2018 One in three children in the UK are growing up in areas with dangerous levels of air pollution, new research by Unicef has revealed.
Glasgow set for Scotland’s first low emission zone 15/06/2018 Glasgow is set to become the first city in Scotland to reduce air pollution by imposing a low emission zone.
Car pollution costs health services £6bn a year, study reveals 06/06/2018 Pollution from cars and vans costs £6bn per year in ‘health damages’, new research has revealed.
Khan launches electric vehicle task force 01/06/2018 Mayor of London Sadiq Khan has launched a taskforce to boost the infrastructure needed to support electric vehicles in the capital.
Khan announces £1m school air quality fund 25/05/2018 The mayor of London yesterday announced a £1m fund to help protect pupils attending schools in the most polluted areas of the capital.
Whitehall launches tool to measure air pollution 22/05/2018 The Government’s public health body has launched a new tool to help councils calculate the potential costs of air pollution.
Council chiefs call for ‘sufficient’ funding to implement clean air strategy 22/05/2018 Local authority leaders have warned new air quality plans can only be successful if they are supported by ‘local flexibility and sufficient funding’.
Air pollution destroying roadside flowers warns charity 14/05/2018 Air pollution and bad management have caused the diversity of wild flowers on road verges to fall by 20%, new research has found.
Children want politicians and drivers to cut pollution near schools 23/04/2018 Over two fifths (43%) of children living in urban areas are concerned about levels of air pollution near their school, according to a new survey.
Recycling scheme to tackle plastic bottle waste 28/03/2018 Environment secretary Michael Gove today announced a new deposit return scheme to increase recycling rates and reduce waste.
Tackling light pollution 21/03/2018 A new study published at the end of last year found light pollution has risen over the past five years. Is LED to blame? And if so, what can be done to combat this? Lee Walker investigates.
Car industry should pay more to tackle air pollution, MPs say 15/03/2018 Four committees have called on the Government to force the car industry to contribute to a new clean air fund to help improve air quality.
Pollution reduced by signs prompting drivers to switch off engines 14/03/2018 Strategically-placed road signs can help tackle air pollution by prompting drivers to turn their engines off at traffic lights, new research reveals.
Official guidance barely ‘scrapes surface’ of air quality crisis 08/02/2018 Official air quality guidance directs councils to focus on buses rather than the more serious sources of air pollution, campaigners warn.
The problem with the T-Charge 18/12/2017 Will introducing a T-Charge in London help reduce emissions and improve air quality? Sukalpa Biswa argues there are more effective approaches.
Air pollution harming unborn babies, medical study shows 06/12/2017 Air pollution from road traffic in London is harming unborn babies, a shocking medical study has revealed.
Government faces more legal action over air quality plans 06/12/2017 Ministers face yet another challenge to their plans to cut illegal levels of air pollution from road traffic after a judge ordered a High Court hearing in the new year.
Failure to meet air pollution targets kills 13,000, charity says 04/12/2017 Premature deaths from air pollution could have been dramatically cut if official targets to get more people to walk and cycle had been met, campaigners claim.
London’s Ultra-Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) to be launched in 2019 06/11/2017 Sadiq Khan last week announced the world’s first Ultra-Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) will be in operation in central London next year.
44 UK cities in breach of international air quality guidelines 31/10/2017 The Government should invest more in sustainable transport, doctors say as research reveals over 40 UK cities are in breach of recommended World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines for air quality.
Edinburgh considers parking surcharge for diesel cars 25/10/2017 A surcharge on parking permits for diesel cars is being considered by the City of Edinburgh Council.
Mayor of London introduces £10 T-Charge to tackle air pollution 23/10/2017 London’s £10 T-Charge for drivers of the most polluting cars starts today to help clean up the lethal levels of air pollution afflicting the capital.
Oxford councils propose world's first 'zero emission zone' 12/10/2017 Councillors in Oxford have agreed a plan to cut pollution which they say will create the world's first 'zero emission zone'.
London mayor should encourage walking and cycling to cut pollution levels 10/10/2017 Transport and environment experts have called on the Mayor of London to make more efficient use of the capital’s finite road network as part of a push to tackle air pollution.
Londoners exposed to ‘dangerous’ levels of toxic air 05/10/2017 People living in the capital are exposed to ‘dangerous’ levels of toxic air particles, warns Sadiq Khan.
Findings reveal London’s poorest children suffer most from air pollution 20/09/2017 London’s poorest children attend schools most affected by air pollution — yet their families are likely to contribute the least to that pollution.
Council apologises over air quality ‘manipulation’ 02/08/2017 Cheshire East Council has apologised after admitting its air quality figures were deliberately tampered with for three years.
'No new diesel and petrol cars by 2040' under £3bn air pollution plan 26/07/2017 New petrol and diesel cars are set to be banned from 2040 as part of a new air quality plan that includes consultation on 'targeted' diesel scrappage scheme.
Councils must tackle ‘killer fumes’ in the north, report says 18/07/2017 A progressive think tank has called on councils to do more to tackle pollution as it warns ‘killer fumes’ are blighting UK regional cities.
Guidance proposes ‘no vehicle idling’ zones to tackle air pollution 30/06/2017 Councils should introduce bylaws to enforce ‘no vehicle idling’ in areas where people particularly vulnerable to air pollution congregate, guidance says.
Whitehall’s air quality plan will ‘fail’ unless it tackles congestion, campaigners say 16/06/2017 Critics of the Government’s air quality plan has said it will ‘fail’ because it ignores the growing impact of congestion on pollution in city centres.
Whitehall’s air quality plans sets ‘over-stretched’ councils up for failure 15/06/2017 The Government’s air quality plans ‘unfairly’ shifts the burden of tackling air pollution onto ‘over-stretched’ local authorities - and sets them up for failure.
Bristol named ‘green capital’ of the UK 02/06/2017 Bristol has been named the greenest city in the UK as part of research into the country’s most environmentally friendly cities.
Pollution from diesel cars is 50% more than originally thought, study claims 16/05/2017 Laboratory tests could be underestimating the amount of nitrogen oxide produced by diesel cars by as much as 50%, new research has claimed.
Campaigners to unleash ‘fossil fuel monsters’ on London councils 11/05/2017 Climate campaigners are planning to march on London this Saturday with ‘fossil fuel monsters’ in order to urge the capital’s borough’s to divest from the polluting industry.
Whitehall’s clean air proposals ‘passing buck’ to councils 05/05/2017 The Government is ‘passing the buck’ to local authorities with ‘weak’ proposals to tackle air pollution, environmental lawyers say.
Bus retrofitting 'much better value than diesel scrappage' 24/04/2017 Fitting older bus engines with environmental filters is a better use of for taxpayers’ money than a diesel car scrappage scheme, according to a new report.
Council closes school roads to cut pollution 11/04/2017 Hackney Council is closing down a number of school roads as part of an initiative to cut pollution and improve safety for children.
Campaigners warn thousands of children exposed to illegal air pollution levels 05/04/2017 More than 1,000 nurseries in England are within 150m of roads that break legal limits for air pollution, according to environmental campaigners Greenpeace.
London mayor blasts Heathrow expansion plans 31/03/2017 Sadiq Khan has accused the Government of not providing answers to ‘fundamental questions’ about the impact the third Heathrow runway will have on London.
London mayor criticised for moving polluting buses to new routes 30/03/2017 Wandsworth council has demanded to know why buses which were meant to be taken off the streets to cut pollution have been switched to other routes.
London Mayor unveils new ‘cleaner vehicle checker’ 29/03/2017 The Mayor of London has unveiled a new ‘checker scheme’ which will help motorists identify — and avoid — the most polluting vehicles.
Council introduces £150 diesel levy 15/03/2017 A London council is set to introduce a new diesel levy of £150 — up from £65 — to tackle air pollution.
Give councils power to charge most polluting vehicles to enter cities says report 24/02/2017 Councils are ‘vital’ for tackling air pollution in their local areas, and can use the planning system and business rate exemptions to do so, report argues.
Councils awarded £3.7m to tackle air pollution 23/02/2017 Councils across the country will be awarded a share of a nearly £4m funding scheme designed to help combat air quality locally, the Government has announced.
Commuters on public transport face eight times more pollution than drivers 15/02/2017 Commuters using public transport could be exposed to as much as eight times more pollution than those who travel by car, a groundbreaking study has suggested.
Health experts call for national diesel reduction scheme 15/02/2017 Local authorities should have more power to reduce the number of diesel vehicles in town and cities, according to calls from health professionals.

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