Moving beyond the air quality crisis

Realising the health benefits of acting on air pollution

This report on air pollution describes the current problem, the reasons it exists and the critical need to resolve it, and includes high level recommendations on the measures required to act on it.

Key recommendations:

• ​A new Clean Air Act, with legally-enforced air quality standards 
• A UK-wide framework for the expansion of Clean Air Zones in towns and cities 
• Bringing forward the ban on the sale of new conventional diesel and petrol cars and vans to 2030.
• Creation of an ‘Active Travel Scheme’ to support businesses and households in adopting shared and active transport options. The Scheme should provide, for example, discounts on car club schemes, access to bikes and support to engage in physical activity.
• Increase in Government investment in active transport to at least £10 per capita by 2020.
• An ‘NHS Clean Air Fund’ to support the adoption of low and zero tailpipe emission vehicles for the NHS and to support in the rollout of electric vehicles charging infrastructure.

The UK Health Alliance on Climate Change brings together doctors, nurses and other health professionals to advocate for responses to climate change that protect and promote public health.