The government’s plan for tackling air pollution has been criticised as weak by ClientEarth, the environmental lawyers who took ministers to court over their previous proposals. CEO Mike Hawes said that the major proposal of urban clean air zones was insufficient because it did not propose charges on heavily polluting vehicles. The government’s plan prioritises action by local authorities and does not specify which towns and cities should impose charges or the scope of potential scrappage schemes. ClientEarth is considering further court action if it concludes that the plan does not comply with legal requirements.
The government’s plan for tackling air pollution has been criticised as weak by ClientEarth, the environmental lawyers who took ministers to court over their previous proposals. CEO James Thornton said that the major proposal of urban clean air zones was insufficient because it did not propose charges on heavily polluting vehicles. The government’s plan prioritises action by local authorities and does not specify which towns and cities should impose charges or the scope of potential scrappage schemes. ClientEarth is considering further court action if it concludes that the plan does not comply with legal requirements.