Mayor of London Sadiq Khan to launch consultation to tackle air pollution in London
Sadiq Khan has been a busy man in his first week as Mayor of London.
Following his "Hopper" bus fare and applause of more armed police in London, Khan has today confirmed that he will launch a formal consultation in a matter of weeks related to a major package of measures to tackle air pollution in the capital.
Announcing the consultation, the Khan said: "I want to act before an emergency, which is why we need big, bold and sometimes difficult policies if London is to meet the scale of the challenge."
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In the buildup to the mayoral election most candidates had identified air pollution as a major issue, and one that would be tackled during their tenure if elected.
Proposals include:
- Extending the Ultra-Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) to the North Circular Road and the South Circular Road and the possibility of bringing forward the introduction earlier than 2020.
- Implementing an extra charge on the most polluting vehicles entering central London using the Congestion Charge payment and enforcement system from 2017.
- Introducing ULEZ standards for heavy vehicles London-wide from 2020
- Giving the go-ahead for Transport for London (TfL) to start work on the costs and challenges of implementing a diesel scrappage scheme as part of a wider national scheme delivered by the Government
- Proposals to work with the government to tackle air pollution on a national and international level.
The latest medical research indicates that almost 10,000 Londoners die every year because of polluted air.
Khan added: "I have been elected with a clear mandate to clean up London’s air – our biggest environmental challenge.
"The previous Mayor was too slow on this issue and the government has been hopelessly inactive and it’s Londoners who are suffering as a result. We need to speed up our efforts so I’ll be launching a consultation before the summer to kick-start the process. As well as my proposals, I’ll be seeking views on other ways we can do more to clean up the city’s air."