ULEZ : Clean Air Wins campaign launched to ‘set the record straight’ on ULEZ and clean air policies

A clean-air campaign tasked with fighting misinformation and supporting policies such as the ULEZ has been launched in London.

Clean Air Wins, which is backed by C40 Cities and the UK Healthy Air Coalition, was launched yesterday (April 27) to support Londoners who want action on air pollution.

Groups such as Alzheimer’s Research UK, Asthma + Lung UK and Islamic Relief are among the campaign’s partners, with Oliver Lord, UK head of Clean Cities Campaign and the chair of the London Healthy Air Coalition, describing it as intent on “setting the record straight”.

Mr Lord told LondonWorld that the UK was meant to set legal limits for air quality in 2010, meaning air pollution in London has technically been at illegal levels for more than 12 years.

Recent data published by City Hall demonstrated that nitrogen oxide levels in every London borough exceed the World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines, with the mayor, Sadiq Khan, describing it as “more shocking proof” of the need to clean up the capital’s air.

Far from benign, Mr Lord said the level of pollution in London “contributes to preventable illnesses, costing the NHS and social care system billions, and leading to thousands of early deaths every year. It affects us all. But older people, children, people of colour, and people from deprived communities are hit the hardest”.

He continued: “One of the leading causes of air pollution in London are harmful emissions from road traffic - especially from dirty diesel vehicles. In fact, if you are less well off or a person of colour, long standing inequalities in our society mean you are more likely to live in the places with the worst air pollution - despite being less likely to own a car. It’s unfair and unjust that those who have done the least to cause the problem often breathe the worst air quality.”

It is this background which led to the launch of Clean Air Wins, which Mr Lord said is about countering misinformation, giving people a voice in the debate, and supporting ambitious policies, such as ULEZ.

Recent polling has shown a majority of British people are concerned about the state of the country’s air. In a YouGov study this January, 42% of respondents said air pollution was a “fairly big problem”, and a further 18% a “very big problem”. Just 5% said it is “not a problem at all”.

“Public health action should always rise above politics and there is a lot of misinformation thrown around right now, so this is about setting the record straight and giving people the chance to speak up,” said Mr Lord.

“Our Clean Cities report showed how these policies are being delivered across Europe, and they are a win-win for everyone with the right support packages in place. London is no different.”

For more information on Clean Air Wins or to sign-up to volunteer, visit the campaign’s website.