‘Clean Air in London’ launches manifesto for the Mayoral and London Assembly election

‘Clean Air in London’ calls on all the Mayoral candidates to promise in their manifestos to end the biggest public health crisis for decades

We need a Mayor who will: Lead the fight to improve London’s air; Clean up London’s transport; Build a low emission city; Protect the most vulnerable; and Ensure a legacy from the Olympic Games

Clean Air in London intends to rank Mayoral candidates on their commitment to measures in this manifesto before the Mayoral election

London should lead the world in tackling air pollution as it did after the Great Smog of 1952

Clean Air in London, which runs the cross-party campaign of the same name, has published its manifesto for the Mayoral and London Assembly elections on 3 May 2012.

CAL 167a Manifesto for Mayoral and London Assembly elections 020212

Simon Birkett, Founder and Director of Clean Air in London, said:

“London is back where we thought it was during the Great Smog of 1952.

“Boris Johnson says there were 4,267 early deaths in London in 2008 attributable to long-term exposure to ‘invisible’ air pollution (at an average of 11.5 years each).  This compares to 4,075 due to short-term exposure during the ‘visible’ Great Smog of 1952 when we knew nothing of the health impact of long-term exposure to air pollution.  Only smoking causes more early deaths now.

“The Mayor must protect the health of Londoners and ensure full compliance with UK and European air quality laws throughout London. We need a Mayor who will:

• Lead the fight to improve London’s air by championing the tightening of health and legal protections,  ensuring  good  governance  and  improving  public  understanding  of  poor  air quality
• Clean up London’s transport by reducing traffic emissions, cleaning up the public transport system, reducing emissions from non-road mobile machinery and supporting active travel
• Build a low emission city by using planning powers and other opportunities to reduce emissions from buildings and improve indoor air quality
• Protect the most vulnerable through a focus on children, the elderly, the poor and ethnic minorities
• Ensure a legacy from the Olympic Games by delivering a low emission Olympics and more

“Clean Air in London is therefore calling on all the Mayoral candidates to promise in their manifestos to end the biggest public health crisis for decades.  After four years of backward steps on air quality measures, Boris is well behind on this issue.

“We need a Mayor who will show the world, starting with the Olympics, that London is leading the way in tackling air pollution as it did after the Great Smog of 1952.