Lib-Dems demand radical measures to tackle the dangers of air pollution

Air pollution is estimated to cause 40,000 premature deaths a year in the UK, making it the biggest environmental killer. 

It also results in health costs of between £8.5bn and £18.6bn a year, according to Public Health England (PHE) and National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (Nice).

The Oldham Liberal Democrats are particularly concerned at the impact of air pollution in the Borough, especially amongst the young, the elderly and those residents who have heart conditions or respiratory illnesses. 

In a Borough like Oldham air pollution is a major contributory factor in the premature deaths of some residents and in the recurrence of poor respiratory health in many others. 

Councillor Howard Sykes, Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group and Leader of the Opposition, has raised this issue before in the Oldham Council Chamber and has demanded the Council take action to tackle this problem. 

He said: “In November 2017, the Council finally agreed to establish an Air Quality Sub-Group from the Health and Well-being Board to look at measures to reduce air pollution. 

"No one from the Liberal Democrat Group has been invited to join despite our obvious interest in this issue and nothing has so far come of it, so 11 months on I have made my own proposals for action.”

Councillor Sykes has written to the Chair of the Health and Well-being Board, Councillor Jenny Harrison, proposing:

·           Taking action on vehicles idling, particularly outside schools, at bus stops and at taxi ranks

·           Piloting road closures outside schools during school drop off and pick up times

·           Promoting Walking to School schemes

·           More air pollution monitoring, with at least one fixed monitor in every electoral ward across the borough and mobile monitors for use in monitoring air pollution at schools

·           A campaign to raise public awareness of the dangers of exposure to air pollution

·           More electric vehicle charging points across the borough

·           More tree planting, and

·           The installation of anti-pollution bus stops like in central London

Councillor Sykes said: “All these measures are yet more examples of the common-sense proposals that the Oldham Liberal Democrat Group provides in response to the problems our Borough, and its citizen’s face. 

"Air pollution represents a real danger to public health, and it is only getting worse. 

"Why it has taken 11 months so far without a plan of action being produced by this sub-group is beyond me. 

"The Council asked them to ‘move as quickly as possible to produce an Air Quality Improvement Plan’, this is movement at a snail’s pace. 

"I only hope that Councillor Harrison and this Labour Administration will take these proposals on board, as the time to act is now.”

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