Ministers face legal action over air pollution plan

ENVIRONMENTAL lawyers ClientEarth have said they are taking the Government back to court over its plans to tackle illegal air pollution.

The law firm said draft plans published in early May contained “major flaws” and they had written to the Environment Department calling for improvements.

Defra has refused, prompting the legal firm to take the Government back to the High Court, the lawyers said. The Government was forced to publish the draft plans to tackle illegal levels of health-harming pollutant nitrogen dioxide after the courts ruled previous efforts were not sufficient.

The Government plans suggest measures ranging from a “targeted” scrappage scheme to take the most-polluting vehicles off the road and retrofitting local bus and lorry fleets, to removing road humps to improve traffic flow and encouraging more electric cars.

Air pollution is linked to an estimated 40,000 early deaths a year and 37 out of 43 areas across the UK are exceeding legal European Union limits for key pollutant nitrogen dioxide, much of which comes from diesel engines.

The Government has warned against “punishing” diesel drivers who were encouraged to buy the vehicles to cut carbon pollution.

Therese Coffey, Environment Minister said: “Conservatives will further improve air quality while making sure ordinary working families are not penalised for Labour’s mistakes.

“The Government is also consulting on what further steps can be taken to mitigate any cost and burdens on families and local firms, including the options of targeted scrappage schemes and retrofitting initiatives. The last Labour government encouraged people to buy diesel cars and we are taking action to put it right.”