Court threat warning for UK over pollution levels
THE UK faces being taken to court over air pollution after the European Commission sent a “final warning” for repeated breaches of legal limits in parts of the country, including Glasgow.
The warning was issued for persistent breaches of levels of nitrogen dioxide, which comes from sources including traffic, particularly diesel engines, in 16 areas including Glasgow, London, Birmingham, and Leeds.
If the UK and four other countries which received final warnings fail to take action within two months, the commission said it may take the matter to the European Court of Justice.
Air pollution is linked to the early deaths of about 40,000 people a year in the UK, causes problems such as heart and lung diseases and asthma, and affects children’s development.
Legal levels of nitrogen dioxide, which allow hourly limits to be breached only 18 times a year, should have been met by 2010.
But the Government has admitted it could be 2020 before air quality levels are within the rules for some areas and 2025 for London, where annual limits were broken on one road just five days into 2017.
Road traffic is responsible much of the emissions, with around four fifths of nitrogen oxides from transport coming from dieselpowered vehicles.
The Evening Times reported last month how Hope Street topped the table of the most polluted spots in Scotland.
Pollution figures show that over 2016 the highest amount of nitrogen dioxide recorded was on the street, with a reading of 65 microgrammes per cubic metre. The amount was 37.5 per cent of the legal limit which allows a maximum of 40 of the same unit of measurement.
The city’s Dumbarton Road came eighth in the list of polluted streets for nitrogen dioxide with a recording of 42 microgrammes per cubic metre.
Health workers and environmentalists have ramped up calls for the Government to take action on air pollution, demanding a new Clean Air Act to tackle the problem and a crackdown on diesel vehicles.
A Government spokesman said ministers were “firmly committed” to improving UK air quality.