Fresher air!

Published: 9 July, 2010

 MIKE Tuffrey’s suggestion of a central London low emission zone (Breath of fresh air? June 25) would fail to tackle the biggest sources of pollution and simply force families to unnecessarily replace their cars.

Mayor of London Boris Johnson is investing £250million a year on sustainable long-term measures to improve London’s air quality, such as a cycling revolution, converting the bus fleet to hybrid, increasing the use of zero-polluting electric vehicles and introducing the New Bus for London, which will be 40 per cent less polluting than a traditional diesel model.

We are also proposing age limits for taxis and to include the dirtiest lorries and vans in the city-wide London Low Emission Zone by early January 2012.

It is a top priority for the mayor to make London a cleaner, greener city and we are on track to meet PM10 legal limits on air quality next year.

MARTIN POWELL
Environment adviser to the Mayor of London