Banning ALL cars is the only way to beat air pollution CRISIS, claims adviser
A LEADING government adviser has said the the only way to beat the air pollution crisis in the UK is a total ban on of all cars.
After the recent government ban of petrol and diesel car sales by 2040 in the UK, many were outraged.
Some, devastated over by the prospect of shelling out a lot of money for a new electric car and others for the mild and tepid nature of the announcement.
"This is a cynical move by the government to grab the headlines by announcing changes for 23 years’ time and failing to enact measures which will curb pollution in UK towns and cities now,” said Oliver Hayes, Friends of the Earth air pollution campaigner at the time of the announcement.
A leading government adviser has now stated that all cars should be banned from the roads to tackle the air pollution crisis.
Professor Frank Kelly, and environmental health expert, has said that the key to reducing air pollution is “fewer cars, not just cleaner cars.”
The Professor alluded to the fact that a switch to electric cars will not be enough to kerb the issue of air pollution alone.
Hundreds of millions of pounds will be used to fund the development of ultra-low emission vehicles by 2030, under the new government plans.
Professor Kelly, wrote in The Guardian, that the plan “does not nearly go far enough” and a council leader brandished the plan as “woefully inadequate."
This is a cynical move by the government
Xavier Brice, Chief Executive of Sustrans, said that the Government has a lack of “urgency” and need to implement alternative plans to tackle air pollution.
“The Government’s plans for tackling poor air quality have signalled the end of the car as we know it, but they lack the necessary government urgency, action or investments to make alternatives to car travel, such as walking and cycling, a realistic option for short journeys.
“The Government cannot shy away any longer from the issue of cars clogging up and polluting our cities, and it must now provide real solutions with new investments for local travel, such as walking and cycling.
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"Local Authorities must be properly supported to put in place clean air zones and tackle the public health emergency of poor air quality.”
Professor Kelly also alluded to the fact that the Government are not paying enough attention to particle pollution which causes ones of thousands of premature deaths in the UK every year,
He wrote in The Guardian: “As London continues to grow in size and population, even zero-emission vehicles are not the complete answer to poor air quality.”
“We need to give people more and easier options to get about without necessarily owning a car and using it for short journeys.”
Current levels of air pollution in the UK exceed the World Health Organisations safe guidelines.
Health experts have warned that prolonged exposure to particles can cause respiratory problems such as asthma and could contribute to conditions like Alzheimer’s.
A government spokeswoman said to The Guardian: “Reducing roadside pollution is a priority for this government – which is why we have committed £3bn to help towns and cities take action against harmful [NO2] emissions caused by dirty diesels.
"Next year the government will publish a comprehensive Clean Air Strategy which will address other sources of air pollution.”