In the lead up to Clean Air Day, the Council has committed to strengthen its Air Quality Strategy as part of the prioritising the issue in the borough.
Last year the Council consulted on a draft Air Quality Strategy. Resident feedback to was that the plan lacked ambition and specific targets that would make a meaningful change to air quality in the borough.
As part of the new administration’s commitment to tackling the issue, the new Cabinet Member for Transport, Streetscene and Air Quality, Cllr Alexander Ehmann, has reviewed the feedback and committed to redrafting the plan, putting forward ambitious, tangible targets for the future.
The strategy will consider areas such as:
- 20 mph speed limit across the whole borough
- Action to address idling (running engines of vehicles while stationary)
- Encouraging electric vehicle ‘take-up’
- Piloting actions with some schools, including green walls and school travel plans
- Policies and infrastructure that support active travel (including cycling and walking).
- Consultation over the introduction of a diesel levy on vehicles within the Borough’s Controlled Parking Zones”
Cllr Alexander Ehmann, Cabinet Member for Transport, Streetscene and Air Quality said:
“Improving air quality in Richmond upon Thames is a priority and one of the big challenges of our time. We need a thorough, overarching, and all-encompassing plan which all stakeholders can own and get behind and which tackles the problem head on.
“Unlike its predecessor, our new Air Quality Strategy will incorporate ambitious targets that will make a real difference to air quality in the borough.”
The draft Air Quality Action Plan was consulted on last year.
Clean Air Day is a national day on the 21st June 2018. For more information, go to: www.cleanairday.org.uk