News 15 March 2021
Today’s new Clean Air Zone in Bath, the first in England outside London, marks an important milestone in the UK’s efforts to bring down harmful air pollution and protect public health.
The scheme is designed to tackle the city’s air pollution problem which is mainly caused by vehicle emissions. Several areas in the city regularly exceed the legal limits for nitrogen dioxide (NO2) pollution – even during lockdown.
Clean Air Fund’s UK Portfolio Manager, Imogen Martineau, told AFP that schemes like Bath’s new Clean Air Zone have been identified as “the fastest way of reducing nitrogen dioxide level within legal limits”. Read the AFP article.
Our Executive Director, Jane Burston was interviewed on Times Radio, along with Dr Gary Fuller from Imperial College London.
Jane told presenter, Mariella Frostrup: “Air pollution is an issue that cuts across health, climate change and social justice and Clean Air Zones will result in improvements across all three.”
Jane also spoke about the link between planetary health and human health. “During the pandemic the public have become very concerned about their health and air pollution is high up on their list of concerns… [A survey of the public found that] more than two-thirds of people support stricter laws and enforcement.”
“So we know that people care. And when people care, political will follows”.