Southwark Air Quality Strategy and Action Plan

Overview

Introduction

Air pollution is often thought to be one of the unavoidable gripes of city living, like traffic and crowded tubes. The levels of harmful pollutants in London’s air are frequently over the legal limits in some areas including parts of Southwark. Local air quality is also a public health priority for the council. Scientific research estimates that in London approximately 9,500 people a year die earlier than they would have due to poor air quality. Those worst affected include the elderly and infirm, the very young and people with pre-existing health problems that are impacted by poor air quality such as respiratory conditions, asthma and those at risk of heart attack or stroke.

We would like to hear from you about how you think that we can better tackle this problem at the local authority level.

Why we are consulting you

As we have an air quality management area we are legally required to have an Air Quality Strategy and Action Plan. Our current strategy and action plan runs out in 2017 so we have drafted a new one to replace it and ensure the most up to date ideas and research in this fast moving area are included.

We would very much appreciate your views on the following questions :-

The Air Quality Strategy

1. Is there anything you would like us to include ?
2. Is there anything you would like us to take out?
3. Do you have any other comment on the strategy?

The Air Quality Action Plan

The Draft Air Quality Strategy and Action Plan focuses action on key areas, including:-

• Air quality management and monitoring
• Reducing emissions from buildings
• Raising public awareness
• Reducing emission from transport
• Reducing carbon emissions
• Regulation and enforcement
• Working with others both within and external to the council such as the GLA and public health services

The proposed actions are summarised on page 9 & 10 of the Draft Air Quality Strategy and Action Plan with the detail of the actions listed in order in the following pages (see attached PDF under related documents)

4. Are there any actions that you agree with in the plan?
5. Are there any actions which you would prefer we removed from the plan?
6. Are there any actions that are not included that you would like to see included in the plan?
7. Do you have any other comment on the action plan

The Technical Appendices

The Technical Appendices contain maps and information to inform the strategy and action plan (see attached PDF under related documents)

8. Is there any information provided that you think is not helpful?
9. Is there any information you think it would be useful to include?
10. Do you have any other comment on the technical appendices?