Wouldn’t it be great if air pollution could just be ‘turned off’. Well sometimes it can!
If you are stuck in a queue, idling your engine, then your car is pointlessly polluting the air as well as wasting fuel. And the pollution affects you as well as passers by and local residents. Doctors have told us:
“Exposure to air pollution has health effects at every stage of life, from before birth into old age.” – Royal College of Physicians
That’s why community groups in Acton took to the streets on Saturday to remind drivers waiting at the Acton Central level crossing to switch off their engines when the barriers are down. There are several signs requesting drivers to to do so, but many drivers don’t notice the signs or ignore them.
Collaboration
Friends of Friars Gardens collaborated with Churchfield Community Association and Ealing Friends of the Earth, to point out the signs, hand out leaflets and reward drivers who switched off with sweets. They were joined by local MP Rupa Huq.
Almost all drivers were happy to cooperate once they understood the purpose.
Over the Limit
Ealing Friends of the Earth said: “Unfortunately London’s air is pretty filthy, even if the pollution is not visible to the eye. The World Health Organization guidelines state that annual average concentrations of PM2.5 (particulate matter of 2.5 micrometres or less in diameter) should not exceed 5 µg/m3. We checked the level on Churchfield Road during the protest and got readings between 25 and 30 µg/m3. That’s five to six times over the WHO limit.”
They added: “Of course not idling doesn’t stop all pollution – there’s a lot more to be done. We need to back all measures to clean up London’s toxic air ASAP. Waiting until we or loved ones develop serious lung diseases to start campaigning is not a good option.”
Lungs come first
Protecting Londoners’ health and especially our children, really does have to come first. So Friends of the Earth also supports the expansion of ULEZ and we hope others will too. For further information see our website and the UK Friends of the Earth’s Air Pollution overview.