Green's policy on air pollution menace

London recently

 Air pollution is in the news again this week with Neasden Neighbourhood Watch calling for action after Neasden hit the 32 air pollution 'Bad Days' a year threshold.


 The Green Party's 8 points on air pollution are:

1. We will make sure that air pollution is monitored in the right places, and publicise bad results widely, particularly to vulnerable people such as children and the elderly as part of a campaign to improve the public's understanding of the problem.
2. We will require all schools, retirement homes and care homes to develop air quality action plans that lower pollution in their local area and protect children and residents during bad air episodes.
3. We will tighten up the Low Emission Zone standards and make sure they are properly enforced through vehicle checks, with a new ban on idling for parked vehicles. Introduce a Very Low Emission Zone in central London to exclude all but the cleanest vehicles.
4. We will retrofit all buses immediately if the technology is shown to work, and make sure that all new buses are low emission hybrid, hydrogen or electric models within one year of being elected, and that the entire fleet runs on this technology by 2016.
5. We will introduce a pay-as-you-drive scheme, to encourage people out of their cars, and provide the necessary investment in London's public transport infrastructure.
6. We will buy a fleet of low emission taxis for drivers to rent if they can't afford to buy one, and set-up a clean vehicle fund with low cost loans for small and medium sized businesses to replace dirty vehicles with electric equivalents, offering them a discount on pay-as- you-go driving charges so it is cost neutral.
7. We will work with the Government and Network Rail to reduce emissions from trains and planes. Push for the closure of City Airport, and convert it into the first Community Enterprise Zone. We will lobby to ban night flights over London.
8. We will ensure all planning applications are air quality neutral, and require new developments to reduce air pollution in the most heavily polluted areas.