‘Ban diesel buses’ in city centre
MORE than half of Londoners want diesel buses banned from the city centre to cut toxic air pollution blighting the capital, a new poll reveals today.
The YouGov survey showed 55 per cent of adults in the city back a crack- down on buses which experts blame for the largest proportion of nitrogen dioxide fumes from traffic in central London. Even more supported a ban on diesel lorries, 62 per cent.
Some 54 per cent believe diesel taxis should be stopped from operating in this area, while 52 per cent think all diesel cars should be banned from it.
More than two thirds say higher polluting vehicles should pay more for travelling through the capital.
The findings will heap pressure on the next mayor to speed up switching from diesel to cleaner electric buses and hybrid models used in electric mode.
Alan Andrews, a lawyer with ClientEarth which commissioned the poll, said: “There is no excuse for dirty diesel buses choking the capital.
“The technology is ready and the next mayor needs to make sure London has the cleanest buses available.”
Simon Birkett, director of campaign g ro up Cl ea n Ai r i n L o ndon, c o ndemned Boris Johnson’s record on reducing bus pollution as “awful”.
“Some of his diesel-electric ‘New Bus for London’... failed even to operate in electric mode due to battery problems and 300 of them will be the only vehicles that won’t comply with his so-called Ultra Low Emission Zone,” he added.
City Hall said London had Europe’s largest fleet of hybrid buses, with 1,700 already on the road alongside 17 electric buses and 8 fuel cell buses. Some 3,300 hybrid buses are expected to operate in the capital by 2020, with action also taken to clean up the taxi fleet.
A spokesman for the Mayor added: “Some of the most ambitious and comprehensive measures in the world are being taken to help improve air quality.” The battery design for new buses had also been improved and ones which failed were repaired or replaced.
YouGov interviewed 1,031 Londoners between March 8-10.