Time to clean up London’s air

Yesterday clean air campaigners came together to demand action over air pollution. The protest organised by activists from Climate Rush comes at a time of growing concern over the health effects of air pollution.

Campaigners assembled just as the driving rain cleared away which was either lucky (as it allowed their event to take place) or unlucky (because many people wont have joined the protest due to the foul weather). There were a number of speeches on the importance of the issue followed by a jolly march with feather dusters and cleaning gear (to give the air a “Spring Clean”) finishing in Parliament Square.

Taking action on air

Caroline Russell of Islington Green Party said “We have been campaigning on this issue since 2000 when we first got on to the london Assembly and have been working consistently on this issue ever since… Boris is completely ignoring any possible solutions to these problems”. Citing his much ridiculed policy of gluing pollution to the roads outside air quality monitoring stations Russell put forward her proposals to “reduce the source of the pollution. Cleaner taxis, cleaner buses and fewer journeys by car. That means a walkable city and a city that we can cycle safely.”

Setting off on the march protesters chanted “Cleaner air – Change the mayor” and “Let London breath – clean air now”.

Climate Rush spokesperson Andrew Tobert says “As long as Boris smooths traffic flow, axes congestion charging, and designs a city for cars, Londoners will continue to be poisoned by the air they breathe. This is a public health emergency but the solutions are simple: encourage people out of cars by investing in cycling infrastructure and cycle safety; make public transport fares fair and affordable; and take cars out of our most polluted spaces. We’re calling on politicians to finally act, and for every Londoner to vote for clean air on May 3rd.”

Some of the evidence

Today, the Green Party who has been leading on this issue in City Hall, released an excellent video on the subject featuring a number of experts on the subject. The video not only looks at the damaging health effects of pollution but also how that pollution is generated and what we should  do to reduce it.

Green Party Mayoral candidate Jenny Jones said: “Air pollution is now the second biggest killer in the capital and is rapidly emerging at the number one public health issue for Londoners.

“We simply cannot go on as we are. It is a scandal that the response of our current Conservative mayor has been to try and hide the problem rather than take steps to deal with its causes.”