European Commission rebuffs UK plea for time extension for London to meet air quality standards

December 15, 2009

The European Commission (EC) has rejected the UK’s bid for a time extension for Greater London to meet EU standards on air quality.

The Commission said the air quality plan for the Greater London zone did not meet the minimum requirements for a time extension under the 2008 EU air quality directive. The Government will now have to devise a more credible plan or face enforcement action, which could include the imposition of multi-million pounds.

Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas said: "Air pollution has serious impacts on human health and compliance with the standards must be our utmost priority. The 2008 EU air quality directive recognises the difficulties some Member States have experienced in meeting the standards for PM 10 (an air pollutant) by the initial deadline of 2005 and allows the possibility of a limited time extension. However, the Commission expects Member States to clearly demonstrate that they are doing their utmost to comply with EU standards in the shortest possible time."

Liberal Democrat Shadow Energy and Climate Change Secretary Simon Hughes claimed that “this is not a problem that has blown in over night. The Commission is right not to give the UK an extension to clean up its air. Past and present mayors of London should take responsibility for not doing more.”

A government-commissioned report by Peter Rogers published in 2007 suggested that air pollution damages health, quality of life and shortens life expectancy. The report said local authorities had a vital role to play in reducing its impacts, with local action contributing to national outcomes.