London's air is "invisible killer"- Mike Tuffrey (London Assembly Liberal Democrats)

London Assembly Liberal Democrats <info@glalibdems.org.uk>

London's air is "invisible killer"- Mike Tuffrey

March 28, 2010 3:00 PM

Mike Tuffrey portrait Mike Tuffrey, Leader of the Liberal Democrat London Assembly Group, commenting on the Mayor's air quality strategy published today said:

"A decade of inaction by the government means London's air is an invisible killer, leading to thousands of premature deaths each year. The capital's poor air quality also afflicts half a million Londoners who suffer from asthma.

"After two years in office the present Mayor has also failed to take action and has even delayed measures to tackle highly polluting vans. Even now this proposed strategy does not target the pollution hotspots in inner London and around Heathrow airport.

"We desperately need incentives to get old diesel vehicles off our roads through a Clear Air Zone for central London. The clean up of buses and taxis must also be speeded up.

"Boris Johnson seems more concerned with showing that EU limit values are not a problem, rather than taking the bold measures that will improve Londoners' health.

"It is time real action was taken to address the fundamental fact that the best city in the world still has the worst air quality of any city in the UK. Londoners deserve more from their Mayor."

ENDS