Clean Air for Lambeth

The Issue

London is suffering from a clean air crisis: 10,000 people lose their lives prematurely every year and Lambeth’s inner city location means that we need urgent action to make our borough's air cleaner and safer.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan is currently consulting on plans to improve London's air. Lambeth Council, Lambeth for a Cool Planet and the undersigned support the Mayor's efforts to take strong action to address London's appalling air quality and support the broad thrust of the proposals contained within it.  

We call on the Mayor to:

  • Make the A23 one of the first Clean Bus Corridors. The A23 corridor linking Streatham and Brixton, which has recorded higher levels of air pollution, including NO2, than Oxford Street, should be in the first tranche of Clean Bus Corridors. Clean buses should be introduced to the London bus fleet as a matter or urgency. Buses on London’s roads should use either retrofitted or new, cleaner engines by 2020. 
  • Extend the Ultra-Low Emission Zone to reduce the impact of toxic exhaust fumes. Implementation of the ULEZ should be brought forward to September 2019.  
  • Invest in green infrastructure. The Mayor should roll out the bike hire scheme to Brixton, Streatham and Norwood, help plant hundreds of new trees and invest in freight consolidation centres to slash the number of journeys made by the most polluting vehicles.
  • Lobby the Government to take clean air seriously. Press the Government to take forward a diesel scrappage scheme at the earliest opportunity, lobby for the devolution of vehicle excise duty to encourage buying of less polluting cars, as well as the reinstatement of the Air Quality Grant.

Please add your name and use the box below to add your own comments and suggestions. Your comments will help inform Lambeth's response to the consultation. If you have time, please also take the Mayor's survey.

avatar of the starter
Lambeth Council and Lambeth for a Cool PlanetPetition Starter
Media enquiries
This petition had 375 supporters

The Issue

London is suffering from a clean air crisis: 10,000 people lose their lives prematurely every year and Lambeth’s inner city location means that we need urgent action to make our borough's air cleaner and safer.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan is currently consulting on plans to improve London's air. Lambeth Council, Lambeth for a Cool Planet and the undersigned support the Mayor's efforts to take strong action to address London's appalling air quality and support the broad thrust of the proposals contained within it.  

We call on the Mayor to:

  • Make the A23 one of the first Clean Bus Corridors. The A23 corridor linking Streatham and Brixton, which has recorded higher levels of air pollution, including NO2, than Oxford Street, should be in the first tranche of Clean Bus Corridors. Clean buses should be introduced to the London bus fleet as a matter or urgency. Buses on London’s roads should use either retrofitted or new, cleaner engines by 2020. 
  • Extend the Ultra-Low Emission Zone to reduce the impact of toxic exhaust fumes. Implementation of the ULEZ should be brought forward to September 2019.  
  • Invest in green infrastructure. The Mayor should roll out the bike hire scheme to Brixton, Streatham and Norwood, help plant hundreds of new trees and invest in freight consolidation centres to slash the number of journeys made by the most polluting vehicles.
  • Lobby the Government to take clean air seriously. Press the Government to take forward a diesel scrappage scheme at the earliest opportunity, lobby for the devolution of vehicle excise duty to encourage buying of less polluting cars, as well as the reinstatement of the Air Quality Grant.

Please add your name and use the box below to add your own comments and suggestions. Your comments will help inform Lambeth's response to the consultation. If you have time, please also take the Mayor's survey.

avatar of the starter
Lambeth Council and Lambeth for a Cool PlanetPetition Starter
Media enquiries

The Decision Makers

Sadiq Khan
Sadiq Khan
Mayor of London
Responded
“Dear Petitioner Thank you for the petition submitted on the change.org website about air quality in Lambeth. Air Quality is a key priority for the Mayor and we are pleased that the residents of Lambeth are so engaged on this critical issue. Below are responses to your points: 1. Make the A23 one of the first Clean Bus Corridors The A23 corridor linking Streatham and Brixton, which has recorded higher levels of air pollution, including NO2, than Oxford Street, should be in the first tranche of Clean Bus Corridors. Clean buses should be introduced to the London bus fleet as a matter of urgency. Buses on London’s roads should use either retrofitted or new, cleaner engines by 2020. On 8 August the Mayor announced that this route will be one of the first of two Low Emission Bus Zones. From October 2017, this route will see exclusive use of hybrid or diesel buses with top-of-the-range anti-pollutant systems that meet or exceed Euro VI emissions standards. These are the first Low Emission Bus Zones the Mayor promised in his manifesto and which will all be operational by 2020. These are expected to reduce NOx emissions from buses along these routes by around 84 per cent. They will be focussed on London’s worst air quality hotspots outside central London and prioritised in areas where buses would otherwise contribute significantly to road transport emissions. The Low Emission Bus Zones will also incorporate a number of changes to the road layout to ensure buses have priority over other traffic and are able to keep moving, cutting emissions from unnecessary idling and speeding up journey times. Low Emission Bus Zones are one of a number of measures the Mayor has asked Transport for London (TfL) to lead by example on to reduce emissions from the capital’s bus fleet, including: - Making sure all buses operating in the central Ultra Low Emission Zone comply a year earlier by 2019, meaning each of the 3,100 double-deck buses operating in the zone will be Euro VI hybrid; - Expanding the ULEZ retrofit programme by up to 3,000 buses outside the central zone; - Procuring only hybrid or zero-emission double-decker buses from 2018. • Extend the Ultra-Low Emission Zone to reduce the impact of toxic exhaust fumes. Implementation of the ULEZ should be brought forward to September 2019. This is very much in line with the Mayor’s current proposals, which will be consulted on in more detail in autumn this year: • Implementing an extra charge (dubbed T-charge) on the most polluting vehicles entering central London using the Congestion Charge payment and enforcement system from 2017; • Bringing forward the ULEZ in central London a year earlier (by 2019); • Extending the ULEZ beyond central London from 2020: o For motorcycles, cars and vans, to the North and South Circular roads o For lorries, buses and coaches, London-wide. • Invest in green infrastructure. The Mayor should roll out the bike hire scheme to Brixton, Streatham and Norwood, help plant hundreds of new trees and invest in freight consolidation centres to slash the number of journeys made by the most polluting vehicles. TfL is always happy to discuss further expansion of Santander Cycles, and actively engages with boroughs and private landowners to try and bring the benefits of cycle hire to as many people as possible. Securing the required funding for both the capital and operational expenses related to expansion is a challenge, but TfL can work with interested parties to try and assemble a suitable funding package. In his manifesto the Mayor committed to embark on a major tree-planting programme across London. To increase London's tree canopy cover the GLA will work with boroughs and other landowners to identify sites for tree planting in London; as well as demonstrating the benefits of incorporating trees and green infrastructure. This may include planting trees and greening streets to encourage walking and cycling and the GLA will continue to work closely with public, third sector and business partners on tree planting and greening programmes. We agree that reducing and consolidation of deliveries is very important, and the Mayor is delighted to be providing a consortium of South London Boroughs (led by Lambeth) £400,000 to deliver a freight consolidation project through the Mayor’s Air Quality Fund. • Lobby the Government to take clean air seriously. Press the Government to take forward a diesel scrappage scheme at the earliest opportunity, lobby for the devolution of vehicle excise duty to encourage buying of less polluting cars, as well as the reinstatement of the Air Quality Grant. The Mayor is calling on the Government to work with him and to take more action to tackle air pollution. In particular, the Government should seize the spirit of the 60th anniversary of the Clean Air Act and pass new legislation fit for the 21st century. This needs to provide new powers and legal protections to ensure that the existing legal limits for air pollutants are retained following Brexit. The Mayor has asked TfL to start work on the costs and challenges of implementing a diesel scrappage scheme as part of a wider national scheme to be delivered by Government. He has discussed the asks you put forward with the new Secretary of State, and we are continuing to push these points and welcome your support. Yours sincerely, Public Liaison Unit Greater London Authority”

Petition Updates

Share this petition

Petition created on 8 July 2016