Ministers called out over air pollution ‘negligence’

MINISTERS are “guilty of negligence” over air pollution in Newcastle and Gateshead, a council leader has claimed.

Gateshead Council chief Martin Gannon told a cabinet meeting yesterday it was unfair for “incompetent” ministers to pass the responsibility for bringing down excessive pollution levels on Tyneside to the cash-strapped local authorities.

Last year, Newcastle, Gateshead and North Tyneside were named among the councils ordered by the government to urgently address potential health hazards in high-polluting areas, including the A1 past Swalwell, Whickham and Blaydon.

At the civic centre meeting, councillors suggested introducing cheaper toll fares through the Tyne Tunnel for electric cars could be among the possible solutions to reduce air pollution in the North East.

Coun Gannon, debating a new report on the state of Gateshead’s roads, said: “I have looked at the figures and, by my reckoning, there are something like 10 times the number of fatalities in Gateshead from pollution than from road traffic accidents.

“The government – if we can call it that because it is absolutely incompetent at the present time and entirely driven by maintaining its own positions – has been taken to court repeatedly.

“Newcastle and Gateshead has been identified as one of 19 hotspots which are in breach of the law and, in my opinion, the government is guilty of negligence in not doing something about that. They are pushing the responsibility to us.”

Newcastle City Council confirmed last month it is working with the neighbouring councils to develop a new clean air plan and would publish its proposals at the end of the year.

Coun John McElroy, Gateshead’s cabinet member for environment and transport, said: “I heard figures of 40,000 to 50,000 fatalities nationally every year due to air quality – in Gateshead, that is 100 per year.

“If those were caused by road traffic accidents then we would have people with placards outside.”

Lib Dem opposition leader Jonathan Wallace said: “I would not necessarily say the government is incompetent – they can be competent and competently introduce policies you don’t agree with.

“The real issue is it is paralysed. I have never seen anything like this in all my years in politics.”

He also warned that reducing speeding in some areas could have the unintended consequence of worsening pollution, as cars are less efficient at slower speeds.

The council review of the borough’s roads also warned of police difficulties over enforcing speed limits and insufficient funding to carry out road repairs.