Mayors push to bring diesel and petrol ban forward by ten years

Mayors representing 20 million people from across England and Wales have called for the government to bring forward its ban on diesel and petrol vehicles by a decade.

Besides phasing out diesel and petrol vehicles ten years early, the mayors are seeking support for clean air zones across the UK and a scrappage scheme for older cars to encourage the transition to low-emission vehicles.

Environment secretary Michael Gove will hear from the city representatives at a national air quality summit which is set to take place on Wednesday.

The cross-party group of leaders includes representatives from Bradford, Bristol, Cardiff, Leeds, Leicester, Liverpool, Newcastle, Oxford, Sheffield, Southampton and the West Midlands.

“Air pollution is not an isolated problem, it’s a national health crisis,” said London Mayor Saqiq Khan.

“Our country’s filthy air is shortening lives, damaging lungs, and severely impacting on the NHS.

“That’s why we’re bringing together city leaders from across England and Wales to put this at the top of the agenda. We have to take bold action, but while we’re all doing what we can, we need government support to do even more.”

Andy Burnham, Mayor of Greater Manchester, stated: “We have all been too complacent about the public health crisis of people breathing in illegal, polluted air. It is damaging health and shortening lives, particularly in our poorest communities.”