Photo: pollution-Bright-Blue

Call for English cities to have more power over emissions

29 July 2016

by Nick Michell

Bright Blue, an independent think tank, has launched a campaign calling for all city councils in England to have the power to establish low emission zones to reduce air pollution. Air pollution is one of the biggest environmental problems in the UK, with it estimated to cause around 40,000 premature deaths every year.

“Low emission zones are an important tool for improving urban air quality,” Sam Hall, a researcher at Bright Blue, told Cities Today. “Evidence from Germany, where there is a national network of around 70 low emission zones, is that they are effective at reducing levels of air pollution. A failure to scale up the current plans would harm public health, allowing old polluting cars to keep driving in our cities for years to come.”

London will soon introduce an ultra-low emission zone and the Government plans to introduce low emission zones (‘clean air zones’) in five UK cities (Birmingham, Leeds, Nottingham, Derby and Southampton) in 2020. Bright Blue is calling on the Government to now establish a network of low emission zones around England by enabling all city councils to introduce them where air pollution is occurring.

The House of Commons Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee found in their recent report on air quality that local authorities lack the powers to charge polluting vehicles for entering low emission zones and to vary the design of low emission zones according to local circumstances.

“Councils do, however, have the powers to establish voluntary low emission zones, where motorists are advised not to drive through urban centres,” added Hall. “But without charging powers, their effectiveness is limited. Councils also need financial support from central government to establish low emission zones, to fund scoping studies, consultations with local residents and businesses, and the charging and monitoring infrastructure.”

Hall explained that Bright Blue doesn’t have a ‘one-size-fits-all’ policy on the appropriate balance of powers between local and central government. However, on the particular issue of air pollution there are clear advantages to empowering local authorities to take the lead. Councils can best craft solutions to a local environmental challenge like air pollution, ensuring that the policies fit individual cities’ needs. Councils can also be more responsive to pressure from local residents for action to tackle toxic air.

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