Greenwich details air quality strategy

The London borough of Greenwich has produced a four year air quality strategy — detailing a series of ‘realistic but ambitious’ policies aimed at reducing air pollution within the borough.

Launched on Thursday (15 June) to coincide with the National Clean Air Day, the strategy outlines actions to be taken across the borough up until 2021 to address air quality, replacing a previous plan published in 2002.

Councillor Danny Thorpe, launching the Royal Borough of Greenwich’s clean air strategy

Policies included within the strategy include the continued expansion of electric vehicle charging points across the borough further to the 25 points already installed.

The borough will also be trialling a ‘ground-breaking’ fully electric refuse vehicle by December 2017 as well as continuing to run ‘car-free’ days in Greenwich town centre.

Greenwich has also committed to installing 11 additional air quality monitoring stations — which it claims will give it more monitoring sites than any other borough in the capital.

Emissions

According to the plan, around 57% of the NOx emissions in the borough come from road transport — of which 22.3% is estimated to come from TfL buses, and a further 22.7% from diesel vehicles.

Councillor Danny Thorpe, deputy leader of the Royal Borough of Greenwich and cabinet member for regeneration and sustainability, said: “I am delighted to be launching the Royal Borough’s Air Quality Action Plan on National Clean Air Day.

“This landmark plan sets a clear vision for a cleaner and healthier environment for the benefit of this generation and the next. It also details some major policy initiatives to deliver on our unwavering commitment to tackle air pollution and promote a cleaner and healthier environment for all of our residents.”

The Air Quality Action Plan sits alongside the Royal Borough’s Greener Greenwich Strategy launched in 2016.

The Greener Greenwich Strategy details additional actions the council is taking to tackle climate change including a number of projects such as the introduction of a Low Emission Neighbourhood in west Greenwich last year.

Related Links
Royal borough of Greenwich – Air Quality Strategy 2017-2021