| Topic: | Re:Re:Re:Re:Re:Air pollution in Putney | |
| Posted by: | Jonathan Callaway | |
| Date/Time: | 08/01/16 11:55:00 |
| We have now breached our annual allowance of NO2 'exceedences' for 2016. It took 8 days this year, last year we did it in 5 so you could argue that the trend is improving ... Actually, while Putney High Street is the first to breach its annual limit many other main roads across London will be doing the same thing right now. It is not just our problem it is a city-wide issue. As a reminder NO2 is noxious and prolonged exposure causes damage to lungs and heart functions, especially in the very young, the frail and the elderly. Total number of breaches in 2015? 1,329 against a legal maximum of 18, so we have a huge task ahead of us to change that. To answer Elizabeth's question more fully a detailed analysis of the effects of the new building now approved by Boris was modelled by the developer and reviewed by the Council (and the GLA). The most optimistic conclusion was that it would 'marginally' worsen the canyon effect where traffic fumes get trapped at and above street level rather than being dispersed. Despite the Putney Society tabling a QC opinion commissioned by Clean Air in London that any development which worsens ambient air quality and moves it further into breach of EU limits would be illegal, the scheme was still approved on the grounds that traffic (and the buses especially) was getting cleaner and thus the marginal damage would be mitigated over time. The QC opinion was prepared with Heathrow in mind and that is one reason why the government has shied away from a decision. They know the lawyers are waiting ... |