London Air Quality - Pollution

I take it wood fires in London aren't banned these days?

I missed this but thank for that thorough explainatuon, really useful.

They don't seem to be, but seem to be subject to the Clean Air Act referenced in the article. I wonder if that's widely adhered to these days, though.

fox proved right about woodfire pollution

lets march on the chesham and demand they put their fires out

Another pollution warning:

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/london-air-pollution-levels-soar-as-mayor-issues-exercise-warning-a3464436.html

Harringey Council are holding some public meetings about plans to tackle Air Quality in the borough. Last one tonight.

If you can't make the meeting - maybe consider signing this Friends of The Earth petition

Care for Haringey’s Air - impact of pollution and what can be done
about it. Haringey Council are holding two community workshops and a
Public meeting to engage with residents and others to raise awareness
and provide information on air quality issues in Haringey. We will
set out actions currently underway to improve air quality in the
borough and identify, in discussion with the community, ideas and
potential actions that could be included in an updated Air Quality
Action Plan, thus encouraging a collective approach to tackling poor
air quality and reducing pollutant emissions in the borough. The
Public Meeting will also be an opportunity to find out more about air
quality in the borough and learn about the actions being carried out
by both Haringey and the GLA. Using the feedback from the community
and internal workshops the council will present potential measures
that could be included in its new plan. It is a chance for you to
provide your opinions on the proposed measures in the emerging
revision to the Air Quality Action Plan.

Air Quality Community workshop Wednesday 8th March 17:15- 19:00
Tottenham Living room 639 High Road Tottenham N17 8AA

Air Quality Public meeting Thursday 9th March 17:15- 19:00
Committee Room 8, 3rd Floor, Civic Centre High Road, London, N22
8LE

Rumours from Haringey Cycling are that the proposed solution is to encourage people to move to electric cars.

Not at all surprising given how little the council appears to care about walking/cycling.

Totally agree Haringay are miles behind other boroughs on walking and cycling.

Electric cars are an easy option for the councils as you don't have to persuade people to change behaviour or pay to build cycle facilities etc. They can even get the cost for charging infra covered by developers and car owners.

There is a lot of provision for electric cars in The London Plan, and most boroughs Planning Policies. (e.g. requiring charging points at all new developments). Obviously it does nothing to make cycling safer, reduce congestion or a load of other car related problems. Sigh.

Haringey

Is it considered too hilly?*

I seem to recall the semi-plan to extend the 'Boris' Bikes northbound featured E-bikes rather than normal ones for that reason.

*I know it isn't really (certainly not most of it anyway) but, speaking as someone who lives at the top of an 11% climb, I don't fancy my chances of convincing any of my neighbours that we should give up a parking space for one of those natty bike shelters that are dotted around Hackney, for example, anytime soon...

Pretty sure that the e-hire bike plans have been abandoned.

Your right, there is a hill or two in the borough but most of the area is pretty flat.

I think the real reason for lack of action in Haringey to date is lack of drive from the councillors and lack of resources for the council officers. They have 1 full time person working on pollution in the whole borough (thats all pollution, water/air/land/etc).

https://consultations.tfl.gov.uk/environment/air-quality-consultation-phase-2/?cid=airquality-consultation

Just got the email for the consultation above from TFL and completed it.

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/london/heavy-pollution-is-as-bad-for-happiness-as-bereavement-or-divorce-research-finds-a3516361.html

https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/may/04/government-faces-class-action-on-air-pollution-in-landmark-case

Interesting development.

From Wales, but a very interesting article:

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/aug/25/residents-torn-plan-raze-homes-wales-crumlin-polluted-road

As usual, the real solutions are not considered because they take a bit of time, thought, and good public administration--definitely don't build a bypass (makes the problems worse), build proper rail connections (difficult and costly in Welsh valleys, I know), shift freight to road, locate destinations closer to origins of trips. Oh well, pigs might fly.

We're all going to die : https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/oct/04/revealed-every-londoner-breathing-dangerous-levels-of-toxic-air-particle

I picked the wrong day to give up smoking...

If it's so bad why is he waiting until 2025 to deal with stoves, why aren't shitty old cars banned (like in Paris) instead of just being charged more, why wait?

Weakness for power

I don't think banning wood stoves will reduce PM2.5 much. That's properly small nano particles. Wood burners are more like PM20 and bigger aren't they? It's not even in the territory of old cars, really, it's only modern diesels that produce quantities of that really small stuff.

Why isn't he banning all diesels then?

because votes!

This place would be much better if I just dictated/dictatored/dick tater red your laws.

Decision on Silvertown Tunnel planning permission delayed while they think about nitrogen dioxide. Seems unlikely to change anything, but hey.

https://infrastructure.planninginspectorate.gov.uk/wp-content/ipc/uploads/projects/TR010021/TR010021-002157-Department%20for%20Transport.pdf