Reaction: Glasgow City Centre Transport Strategy Approved

Commenting on approval of the plans air pollution campaigner Emilia Hanna said: 

“The new City Centre Transport Strategy has some welcome measures which may improve air quality, including plans for 20mph zones, bus gates, and tree-lined avenues.

“The concern for those people suffering from poor air quality today is that the low emission zone proposals may not be introduced for at least three more years. 

“Air pollution is a current and enduring problem and the Council should get on with implementing the solutions as soon as practically possible.

“Council officials hinted that the introduction of Low Emission Zones may be sped up in light of the Government’s National Low Emission Strategy. 

“However, the Scottish Government did not include any new cash for this new strategy in this week’s budget.  Cash-strapped councils should not be expected to bear the entirety of these costs without significant Government support.”

Notes to Editors

[1] Glasgow City Council’s Executive Committee approved the City Centre Transport Strategy today: https://www.glasgow.gov.uk/councillorsandcommittees/Agenda.asp?meetingid…

[2] Glasgow has some of the most polluted streets in Scotland with Hope Street named the most polluted: http://www.foe-scotland.org.uk/air-pollution-streets-2014

[3] Air pollution is responsible for 2000 early deaths in Scotland every year with over 300 deaths in Glasgow: Public Health England, “Estimating local mortality burdens associated with particulate air pollution”, https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/estimating-local-mortality-burdens-associated-with-particulate-air-pollution

[4] Friends of the Earth Scotland reaction to the Scottish Budget announcement on 4th February 2015: http://www.foe-scotland.org.uk/scot-budget-reaction-air-pollution

[5] Friends of the Earth Scotland is

* Scotland’s leading environmental campaigning organisation

* An independent Scottish charity with a network of thousands of supporters and active local groups across Scotland

* Part of the largest grassroots environmental network in the world, uniting over 2 million supporters, 77 national member groups, and some 5,000 local activist groups. www.foe-scotland.org.uk