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Electrifying plan to improve air
quality
PLANS to install 100
electric vehicle charging points across the City are among a series of measures
being driven forward to improve air quality in Liverpool. An update has been
presented to the Neighbourhoods Select committee, on Tuesday, 7 November 2017,
has reported
that work is underway identifying Council car parks, supermarkets, leisure
centres and streets in areas such as the Baltic Triangle.
It follows a request from Mayor Joe Anderson earlier this year for the
prioritisation of:- walking, cycling, electric vehicles and clean fuels in order
to reduce the impact of air pollution on residents under an initiative known as:-
'Breathe Liverpool.'
In Liverpool, particulate air pollution contributes to 4% of all
deaths, and long term exposure contributes to heart diseases and stroke, lung
cancer and respiratory diseases like asthma and chronic bronchitis.
The Council is already planning to introduce a diesel free fleet of Council
vehicles in the City Centre by 2019 and across the City by 2024. They would be
replaced by electric and compressed and natural gas vehicles.
New buses being introduced next year on the 26/27 Sheil Circular route in North
Liverpool will be able to do 130 miles on 1 charge.
In addition, a pilot scheme is being planned to encourage drivers to switch off
idling engines near schools, as air pollution can reduce lung development in
children and increase symptoms of asthma.
More positively, the City is no longer one of those identified by Government
being over the statutory limit for Nitrogen Dioxide and recently dropped to 26
out of 50 local authorities for levels of Particulate Matter.
Mayor of Liverpool Joe Anderson said:- "Although the City has made great
strides in reducing levels of sulphur dioxide over recent year, pollution from
vehicle related emissions such as Nitrogen Dioxide and Particulate Matter is
still too high.
It is not good enough for us to be just below the worst as it still has a direct
effect on the health of many residents and creates a huge cost for the NHS,
which means it has to be a real priority.
There is already a lot of good work going on delivered by partners such as
Merseytravel, but we can support that by using our influence to deliver changes
which will improve air quality.
By 2025 I want the City to have developed a central heart where walking,
cycling, electric vehicles and clean fuels will dominate."
The Council is also working with the Combined Authority to determine the costs
of introducing a Clean Air Zone, which will be completed by March 2018.
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