The government’s latest Air Quality Plan is set to receive “unprecedented scrutiny” from a cross party team of MPs.

The Environment Food and Rural Affairs Committee, Environmental Audit Committee, Health Committee, and Transport Committee have joined forces to examine the government’s new Air Quality Plan.

The plan was launched in July this year after the government's original plans were criticised and found to be inadequate in a UK court.

The Improving Air Quality Inquiry will examine whether the revised plan goes far enough to meet legal limits on pollution, which the UK is in breach of.

Mary Creagh MP, chairwoman of the Environmental Audit Committee, said: “The government are on their third attempt to meet legal air quality standards. Local authorities have said the government’s plan for air pollution does not go far enough to help the millions of people living with illegally high levels of air pollution today.

"Ministers will now face unprecedented scrutiny in parliament to ensure they are doing everything necessary to protect people from filthy air.”

Neil Parish MP, chairman of the Environment Food and Rural Affairs Committee, added: “When the leaders of Liverpool, Leeds, Southampton, Oxford, Leicester and Birmingham say that the Government’s plans to reduce pollution will not allow them to meet legal pollution limits, it is a cause for concern.

“Our joint inquiry allows MPs to hold to account ministers from key departments on how effectively the government is joining up work to clean up the UK’s air.”

  • For the latest on clean, safe, urban delivery visit the free to attend Freight in the City Expo at London's Alexandra Palace next month (7 November). There you will be able to view the latest vehicle advancements and services, as well as listening to a seminar programme discussing ways to future-proof your operation in the face of the pollution challenge.

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