A week of action has been taking place across the South East to campaign against the closure of air pollution monitoring stations in Reading, Portsmouth, Oxford, Chatham and Brighton.
Labour’s South East MEP candidate Anneliese Dodds is opposing any closures as air pollution causes an estimated 29,000 deaths in the UK each year and can reduce life expectancy by eight months.
The government has proposed removing the obligation for local authorities to run air quality monitoring stations, following its ‘red tape challenge’ to reduce regulation, but Anneliese is warning that this is a short sighted move that would be bad for health and could also leave the Government facing an EU fine.
Anneliese has already visited Portsmouth, Reading and Oxford. She will be visiting Brighton tomorrow, Saturday October 12 and Chatham on Monday to raise awareness of the issue and to collect signatures for a petition.
She said:
“Local authorities need this data to tackle the effects of pollution and I want to see the government doing more, not less, to help them.
“These monitoring stations have been up and running for years and show if we are making headway or still have work to do. Getting rid of them may save money but it will prove costly in terms of health.
“I am travelling around the South East collecting signatures for a petition so we can demonstrate to Defra that people want their health to come first.”
Independent air quality experts are warning that closing these stations would be a backward step. The European Parliamentary Labour Party is challenging the UK government on whether the proposed closures are lawful, since the government has obligations about air quality under EU law.
The UK was also denied permission by the European Commission last year to delay air quality improvements in 12 areas – including Brighton, East Sussex.
Anneliese will be at Preston Park Pavilion, tomorrow, October 12 at 10.30am