Campaigners have criticised the U.K. government for giving them just 10 days’ notice to respond to a consultation on air quality.
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) launched the consultation on a revised air quality strategy that will determine how councils in England should use their existing powers more effectively to deliver improvements to air quality earlier this week (11 April).
The revised strategy outlines the kind of actions councils can undertake to improve air quality and reduce particulate matter.
In a statement, the environment minister Rebecca Pow said the strategy will “help councils to go further and faster to improve air quality for the benefit of their residents”.
But clean air campaigners have criticised the 21 April deadline for comments, which gives them just 10 days to respond.
Tim Dexter, the clean air lead at the charity Asthma + Lung UK, said in an email it was “disappointing” to see the British government only allow a consultation time of 10 days for such an important strategy.
Dexter said air pollution is a public health emergency, which accounts for 36,000 premature deaths every year in the UK and is a major driver of life-threatening lung conditions, causing lung cancer and asthma attacks.
He added it is vital the government hear the views of health charities, other organisations focussed on clean air and the public.
“We urge the government to extend the consultation period to develop a meaningful plan that protects people,” said Dexter.
Responding to the consultation launch, UK100’s interim chief executive, Jason Torrance said in a statement it was “incredible” that the U.K. government had given just 10 days’ notice for local authorities, the public and other stakeholders to respond.
Torrance also called on ministers to extend the consultation period beyond the 4 May local elections.
He said it was “unacceptable” that local leaders will be left “gasping for breath” as they try to respond to a strategy conferring huge new responsibilities on local authorities during a pre-election period that restricts how they can respond.
Torrance described the strategy itself as “flimsy” and said it lacks many of the key details its members will need to determine how successful it will be.
But he said the strategy does include a positive recognition of the importance of ensuring clean air and net zero action is aligned at the local level.
And he added it also contains a necessary focus on wood burners and smoke control zones.
Official figures published by the U.K. in February show air pollution from wood burning stoves and fireplaces has doubled in a decade.
In response, a Defra spokesperson said local authorities and groups like UK100 have been engaged by government officials during the drafting process of the revised strategy.
The consultation comes as the High Court has granted permission for a judicial review into the expansion of London’s ultra-low emission zone by mayor Sadiq Khan from August.
The legal challenge was launched by a coalition of local authorities – the London boroughs of Bexley, Bromley, Hillingdon and Harrow, along with Surrey County Council – who object to the plans.
The hearing is likely to be held in July.
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