The City of London Corporation has been awarded £1million from the Mayor of London’s Air Quality Fund to deliver joint projects with the London Borough of Camden and the Cross River Partnership to improve air quality across the Capital.
Funding will help to deliver a pan-London idling engine action project, including an extensive advertising campaign encouraging drivers to switch off their engines while parked, in partnership with Camden Council.
It will continue the success of the previous volunteer-led action scheme – a model pioneered by the City Corporation – which was adopted by a total of 18 local authorities. The project will bring the total to 28.
Participating boroughs will organise volunteer-powered action days, deliver anti-idling workshops with schools, and give training to companies and fleet managers about air pollution across London.
Councillor Adam Harrison, Cabinet member for a sustainable Camden, said: “We are excited to be leading the pan-London Idling Action Project in partnership with the City of London Corporation.
“Air pollution is a London-wide issue and this project will enable us to work together with the 25 other participating London boroughs to combat engine idling through education and enforcement.
“We know that it can take time to change behaviour, but this project aims to speed up action across London by raising awareness about the significant health impacts of engine idling. Everyone can make a difference to the air we breathe.”
Meanwhile, the Clean Air Thames project, delivered with the Cross River Partnership, will seek to reduce exposure to air pollutants by retrofitting 11 passenger and freight vessels operating on the River Thames. A key benefit of vessel retrofitting would see the reduction of marine emissions of key air pollutants such as nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter which can cause asthma, heart disease and cancer.
Subject to the chosen technology, emissions could be reduced by up to 90% in nitrogen dioxide and 85% in particulate matter.
Jeremy Simons, chair of the environmental services committee, said: “With support from the Mayor of London, these projects demonstrate organisations across the Capital working together to tackle this public health crisis.
“Much of central London and the Square Mile experiences higher levels of air pollution than the rest of the UK. This summer we will be finalising our new Air Quality Strategy which will strengthen our collaboration and partnerships with organisations across
London.
“We must continue to protect the public’s fundamental right to live in a clean and safe environment.”
Councillor Wendy Hyde, chair of the Cross River Partnership, added: “Cross River Partnership is extremely pleased to be working with the Mayor of London, the City of London Corporation, the Port of London Authority, and other organisations on retrofitting River Thames vessels to improve air quality for Londoners.”
