Issue - meetings

Cllr Louise Krupski gave a short presentation on Air Quality, summarising what the problem is, and how Lewisham are working to tackle it.  For a copy of this presentation, please email laura.luckhurst@lewisham.gov.uk .  In an interactive session, attendees identified that the worst pollution is caused:

• along main roads,
• on taxi ranks when cabs idle their engines
• School drop offs, again especially with parents idling
• Side roads where rat-running traffic filters onto main roads
• Some back roads heavily used as rat-runs

Cllr Krupski confirmed that cars and motor vehicles produce over 60% of NO2 emissions in the borough.  NO2 (sometimes referred to as “NOX”) is associated with respiratory problems.  Co2 is a major cause of global heating (Climate Change).  Although Electric vehicles (EVs) reduce the pollution, even these do cause some pollution through small particles as a result of road surface erosion etc.

The Assembly was asked to consider what individuals can do about this? The responses included:

• End reliance on cars and motor vehicles
• Apply for temporary closure of roads near schools
• Use the  bus more
• Walk and cycle more

Cllr Krupski reminded people that pollution is causing big rises in respiratory problems – nationally, asthma cases are up by 25% and there has been a 43% increase in asthma deaths in 55 - 64year olds. Children exposed to high levels of pollution suffer reduced lung capacity and this does not get reinstated later in life.

The good news is that the ULEZ being introduced by the Greater London Authority will cover almost of all of central London and significantly reduce pollution from coaches and lorries. All of Lewisham Central ward is covered by the ULEZ, and it’s expected there will  be a 30% drop in pollutants as a result.