Air pollution in London is appalling, sometimes at the level of Delhi.
Speed up taking dirty taxis off the road
Taxis, both black cabs and others, are major contributors to air pollution in London. A combination of changing the licensing rules and incentives can cut pollution in just a few years.
Get dirty buses off the road
Dirty buses are being retired from central London and the worst polluted areas. But they are still planned for use in the rest of London for years.
Encourage cycling
I’ve campaigned for better cycling facilities in London for 25 years, and am a keen cyclist. I’d encourage London boroughs to copy Liberal Democrat Sutton’s successful Smarter Travel Sutton plan, which increased cycling by 75% and cut driving by 6%.
Increase charges for dirty cars, coaches and delivery vehicles
Tourist and other coaches and delivery vehicles, are a large source of pollution. Increasing the surcharge they face if they are dirty would give them strong incentives to avoid London or switch to cleaner vehicles.
Divert parcel deliveries
Internet shopping is fantastically convenient for many people. But it also means many more delivery vehicles driving around. We should pilot more pickup locations at places like train stations, so that we can cut pollution from delivery vehicles. Done right this will often be a more convenient delivery solution for many busy Londoners.