Thank you for contacting me about Together Association's recent report on air pollution.
The UK is committed to tackling both the negative effects of air pollution and ensuring motorists can go about their lives in a normal way. These two goals are not mutually exclusive; in fact, they are both achievable.
The UK Government has and will continue to provide extensive support for drivers. In October 2023, the Government announced a new plan to support people who drive, by keeping motoring costs under control and ensuring everyone has the freedom to drive as they need to.
The measures include updating guidance on 20mph speed limits in England to prevent their blanket use in areas where it’s not appropriate, and amending guidance on low-traffic neighbourhoods to ensure local consent. As part of the review into low-traffic neighbourhoods, the Government will consider measures for existing anti-driver policies that did not secure local consent.
Furthermore, in the Network North Plan, the Prime Minister announced record investment of £8.3 billion to fix the blight of potholes on roads up and down the country. This tangible improvement to the road network will positively impact motorists across the UK.
The Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants' landmark 2010 report on the subject found that "in the UK, long-term exposure to man-made PM2.5 is responsible for 29,000 premature deaths per year." The 2022 UK Health and Security Agency report reiterated these figures, emphasizing the continued impact of air pollution and providing a range starting at 29,000. It is important to note that these figures are indeed 'statistical constructs' designed to help understand the scale of the problem. However, what they do stress is that there is a problem which the Government has taken significant steps to address.
The Air Quality Standards Regulations 2010 require the UK to undertake air quality assessments to assess legal compliance against air pollutant concentration limits and target values and report the findings and associated data on an annual basis. This assessment is done for all local authorities not just those establishing Clean Air Zones.
At a local level, the most immediate challenge on air quality is nitrogen dioxide concentrations around roads. The UK Plan for Tackling Roadside Nitrogen Dioxide Concentrations sets out how compliance with existing legal targets can be achieved in the shortest possible time. Air pollution has reduced significantly since 2010. Emissions of nitrogen oxides have fallen by 45 per cent and fine particulate matter PM2.5 by 10 per cent.
Thank you again for taking the time to contact me.