Government taken to court for third time over dirty air – Friends of the Earth reaction

The government is being taken to court yet again over it’s failure to deal with the UK’s air pollution problem.

Responding to the announcement that ClientEarth is taking the government to court  for a third time over its persistent failure to deal with the UK’s dirty air, Oliver Hayes, Friends of the Earth, air pollution campaigner, said:

“The government’s plans for cutting the UK’s scandalous air pollution problem are far too weak. It’s shameful that the government has to keep being taken to court, to try to force it to protect the health of its citizens.

“Despite ministers acknowledging that Clean Air Zones – areas which restrict the dirtiest vehicles from the most polluted places – are the best way to bring down levels of pollution quickly, recent government plans did not introduce any new Zones.

“We need Clean Air Zones in all the places predicted to still have illegal levels of dirty air in 2019 and beyond – that is 53 Local Authorities in England, outside London.

”With tens of thousands early deaths every year caused by our filthy air, along with lives made miserable by ill-health and suffering, we need more action, more quickly. Maybe another date in court will finally spur our politicians into action.”