Clean Air and the WEZ

A post from Dave Hill, stating that pressure group Campaign for Clean Air in London (CCAL)  won't be going ahead with their legal challenge to Congestion Charge Western Extension Zone abolition.

TfL have stated:

"The air quality impacts of the removal of WEZ are more than offset by the additional measures set out in the Mayor's Air Quality Strategy to reduce emissions to air from road transport across London, including within the WEZ."

What Dave Hill hasn't pointed out is that CCAL have secured no additional long-term measures: only assurances that there will be no worsening of air quality in the WEZ relative to 2010. Which, as CCAL point out, is a bit surprising as TfL had previously predicted an increase in pollution (albeit a small one). Maybe this is just a delaying tactic by TfL/Boris, hoping they can get through 2011 without a lawsuit. It's not looking good though - London's already had its first 'Bad Air Day', with NO2 emissions limits being breached on Brompton Road and Putney High Street


In any case, the Mayor's Air Quality Strategy still falls short of the programme of measures inherited from the previous Mayor, that Boris saw fit to abolish. So the net effect is Boris is still dirtier than Ken. As far as I can see, there's nothing substantive that's new in the Air Quality Strategy over and above what was put in place or proposed by Ken.