Government warned over Heathrow pollution
February 16, 2010
Wandsworth Council has warned that the government could face daily fines after allowing air pollution at Heathrow to breach European limits.
Local residents have made a formal complaint to the European Commission pointing out that, despite previously admitting that nitrogen dioxide levels around the airport were above permitted levels, ministers have so far taken no action to improve air quality in the area.
Since 1 January 2010, all EU Member States have been required to comply with the limits set down in the 2008 Air Quality Directive.
The complaint to the Commission was submitted by Geraldine Nicholson who chairs the No Third Runway Action Group (NoTRAG). She said: “We are calling on the Commission to take immediate action to enforce EU law and protect the health of people who live around the airport.”
In its 2007 air quality strategy, the Government conceded that annual average EU limits for nitrogen dioxide were being exceeded “in a number of places, mainly to the north and north east close to the airfield and around major roads including the M4”.
NoTRAG is part of a coalition of local authorities and environmental groups seeking to have the Government’s third runway decision declared unlawful.
An application for judicial review will begin in the High Court on 23 February 2010. The action is also backed by Greenpeace, the World Wildlife Fund, the Campaign for Protection of Rural England and Transport for London.
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