[cleanairuk_news] PRESS RELEASE: Air pollution surveys at controversial road and airport developments (in GREENWICH and NEWHAM) published on 4 & 16 OCTOBER 2013

[Network for Clean Air]

NETWORK FOR CLEAN AIR
http://www.cleanairuk.org Email: contact at cleanairuk.org
Network for Clean Air project, Seeds for Change, Old Music Hall, 106 -  
108 Cowley Road, Oxford. OX4 1JE.

Wednesday 2 October 2013

PRESS RELEASE

Air pollution surveys at controversial road and airport developments  
(in GREENWICH and NEWHAM)  published on 4 & 16 OCTOBER 2013

(LONDON) Two public meetings in London: Newham (Friday 4 October 2013)  
and Greenwich (Wenesday 16 October 2013) will publish the results of  
air pollution monitoring at controverisal road/airport proposals in  
London. The monitored sites are in areas which are expected to have  
more pollution if the proposed road links (between Newham and  
Greenwich) are built, and London City Airport in Newham is expanded as  
proposed. The road proposals include the Silvertown Tunnel, and the  
Gallions Reach link ferry or  road bridge/tunnel.

The air pollution monitoring was undertaken throughout June 2013 in  
Newham and Greenwich using gas diffusion tubes sensitive to nitrogen  
dioxide pollution – an air pollutent from road traffic and aviation  
(and other sources) which can be harmful to health and which is  
limited by law. Air quality in London frequently breeches these safe  
limits. The UK Government is being prosecution due to its failure to  
maintain good air quality in a case brought by Client Earth.

The three air pollution montoring projects ('citizen science') – two  
in Newham at Gallions Reach and City Airport, and the other in  
Greenwich - were facilitated by Network for Clean Air. They were  
carried out by local residents and campaigners from No to Silvertown  
Tunnel in Greenwich, and Stop City Airport and Friends of the Earth at  
Gallions Link in Newham. The two public meetings publishing the three  
projects are open to all.

*NEWHAM Air Pollution Survey* - Friday 4 October - morning

When: 9.30am to 11.30am,  Friday 4 October 2013.

Where: Committee Room 4, Greater London Authority (GLA), City Hall,  
The Queen’s Walk, London SE1 2AA. Map:  
http://www.london.gov.uk/city-hall/location-map

Who: Meeting on 'Air Pollution in East and South East London – the  
existing problem and threats to worsen it' - hosted by London Assembly  
Member Darren Johnson (Green Party). Speakers include: Alan Houghton,  
Stop City Airport campaign (to be confirmed); Jenny Bates, Friends of  
the Earth London Campaigner; Dr Ian Mudway, Researcher at Kings  
College London and expert on air pollution and health; Simon Birkett,  
Clean Air in London; John Elliott, independent transport consultant.  
Invitees include all London Assembly Members.

Why: Air quality in London and Newham is poor, and breaches EU limits  
for air pollution (nitrogen dioxide). A new ferry service across the  
Thames between Gallions Reach (Beckton) in Newham  and Greenwich  
(Thamesmead) has been consulted upon by Transport for London; and a  
fixed link (bridge) is also proposed at this site. Proposals have also  
been made for aviation expansion at City Airport to around 120,000  
flight movements per year and increased road traffic. All these  
proposals are expected to increase air pollution (nitrogen dioxide).

What: A 'citizen science' survey of air pollution in the area around  
City Airport was undertaken by Stop City Airport. A 'citizen science'  
survey of air pollution in the area around Gallions Link (Beckton) in  
Newham was undertaken by Friends of the Earth. Diffusion tubes  
sensitive to nitrogen dioxide where used in the survey.

*GREENWICH Air Pollution Survey* - Wednesday 16 October - evening

When: 7pm, Wednesday 16th October 2013.

Where: Forum at Greenwich, Trafalgar Road, London, SE10 9EQ.  
Directions: http://www.forumatgreenwich.org/how-to-get-here/

Who: Meeting organised by No to Silvertown Tunnel. Speakers include:  
speaker from No to Silvertown Tunnel; Dr Ian Mudway - researcher Kings  
College London and expert on air pollution and health; John Elliott,  
independent transport consultant & expert; Sian Berry, Campagin for  
Better Transport; and Simon Birkett, Clean Air in London; an invited  
speaker from Royal Borough Greenwich.

Why: Air quality in London and Greenwich is poor, and breaches EU  
limits for air pollution (nitrogen dioxide); expansion of the road  
network between Greenwich
Peninsula to Royal Docks and Newham is proposed with a new road tunnel  
under the Thames - The Silvertown Road Tunnel – which will link the  
two boroughs, and which is expected to increase road traffic and  
traffic pollution.

What: A 'citizen science' survey of air pollution in Greenwich  
including the area near the proposed Silvertown Tunnel was undertaken  
in June 2013. Residents of Greenwich  used diffusion tubes sensitive  
to nitrogen dioxide where used.

ENDS

EDITORS NOTES

Network for Clean Air works with people and Communities for better air  
quality and less air pollution. We organised 'Cities for Clean Air :  
London 2012' immediately prior to the London Olympics which brought  
together experts, campaigners and local communities. See  
http://www.cleanairuk.org for more information.

Diffusion tubes are also used by local authorities and national  
Government for air pollution monitoring, and those used in these  
surveys were were supplied and analysed by by an accredited laboratory.

Further information about the speakers and campaigns:

Network for Clean Air: http://www.cleanairuk.org

No to Silvertown Tunnel: http://www.silvertowntunnel.co.uk

Stop City Airport: http://www.hacaneast.org.uk/ (HACAN East website)

Friends of the Earth: http://www.foe.co.uk/

Campaign for Better Transport:  
http://www.bettertransport.org.uk/campaigns/roads-to-nowhere

Dr Ian Mudway, Kings College  
London:http://www.erg.kcl.ac.uk/WhosWho/DrIanMudway.aspx?DeptID=WhosWho and  
http://www.erg.kcl.ac.uk/ResearchProjects/Exhale/Default.aspx

Clean Air in London: http://cleanairinlondon.org/about/

John Elliott (independent transport consultant):  
http://www.johnelliottconsultancy.co.uk/about.html