New campaign to encourage active travel as lockdown is eased

The clean air campaign group, Mums for Lungs, have launched a new campaign today (July 13) to encourage parents and children to walk, cycle or scoot to school when classes resume in September. 

Mums for Lungs was established in 2017 when a group of parents walking around South London with small babies became aware of the toxic levels of air pollution on London’s streets, since then the organisation has been involved with many campaigns petitioning for cleaner air.

Their most recent campaign involves placing thousands of posters across 20 London boroughs in a bid to raise awareness of the importance of clean air and to encourage people to take up active travel as lockdown restrictions are eased and children return to school in September.

Mums for Lungs are also asking the government to help encourage this shift by implementing further road closures, pop-up cycle lanes and other measures that will help families move away from their polluting vehicles.

Jane Dutton from Mums for Lungs said: ‘Half of the air pollution in London is from traffic, and air pollution is severely and irreversibly damaging children’s health.

‘We have suggested to government that they run a public health campaign many times – as they are not doing it, we are trying our best to help people realise the way they travel has an impact.

‘Now, more than ever, with possible links between air pollution and Covid-19 transmission, we all need to make sure our travel choices are as non-polluting as possible.’

Photo Credit – Pixabay