Getting the measure of council climate action

I read Adrian Williams’ enlightening article (‘Climate fears as plan is approved’, November 25) following the full council vote on particulates measurement, with interest and incredulity in equal measure.

Why would RBWM vote to NOT measure PM2.5 particulates and to NOT increase measurements of PM10 particulates despite recent advice from the WHO and guidance issued to Directors of Public Health?

I believe that RBWM does not take air pollution at all seriously and cannot understand why it does so little to improve air quality for the people it serves; actually measuring particulate levels properly would be a good start. ‘No Idling’ signs near schools would be good too.

The council’s leader, Andrew Johnson, is reported to have said ‘new guidelines on particulate matter look close to impossible to deliver’.

This is an astonishing response!

Is this justification for not taking action? In case readers missed it, the target achievement date for PM10 particulates as defined in the National Air Quality Objectives was 17 years ago!

The target for PM2.5 particulates is a 15 per cent reduction to be achieved between 2010 and 2020.

RBWM declared its first Air Quality Management Area in 2004.

Well, I think that the council’s time’s up! For the record, RBWM measures PM10 particulates at one, single site and does not measure PM2.5 particulates at all.

Word is that RBWM cannot afford to do it. Our air quality may actually be far worse than we know because RBWM is not measuring levels of the things which are known to cause us great harm.

Perhaps someone from RBWM could respond and enlighten residents of the

Royal Borough?

Air pollution affects us all.

I will be following this issue closely and will vote accordingly at the next local elections! THOMAS WIGLEY

Windsor