Deaths from air pollution at 'epidemic' levels - but new study claims not enough is being done
There has been little improvement in air quality over the last 20 years - despite it being the possible cause of over 50,000 deaths.
That's according to a new study by two academics from the University of the West of England. They set out to explore why there has been so little improvement in air pollution concentrations since the UK signed up to international air quality standards in 1995, as part of the Environment Act.
Their study claims that transport planners have concentrated on preventing road deaths - but the environmental impacts of transport choices are not being treated as seriously, with issues such as emissions being insufficiently prioritised.
Their findings indicate that air quality is also an issue of social equity, with households in less affluent areas tending to be exposed to much higher levels of air pollution - despite contributing much less to the problem, principally through driving less.
The two academics also claimed there was limited financial support for local authorities seeking to introduce air improvement measures such as low emissions zones.
The two academics are now calling for a strong political commitments to protecting public health - particularly those of young children, whose life chances they say can be seriously compromised by exposure to air pollution.
Their findings are due to be presented at Royal Geographical Society annual international conference in London on Wednesday.