Kingston Council is consulting residents on its Air Quality Action Plan, to try and tackle the problem of air quality across the borough.  The consultation includes 17 action points which residents are asked if they agree or disagree with, but many are about limiting the effect of further growth in population, not actively improving air quality.  Some, like action point 16 “Requiring that all new developments in the Borough provide cycle parking in accordance with minimum standards” should surely be a given, not open to debate!

Obviously Kingston cannot solve the issues of air pollution alone and part of the work has to include lobbying regional and central Government, however I feel this action plan consulation is weak.  As with most London Boroughs, Kingston have been exceeding the Government’s target on annual mean nitrogen dioxide (NO2  ) and daily mean particulates (PM10) in parts of the borough so to just aim at keeping the levels static is not good enough. WE’d welcome suggestions to actually improve air quality not just mitigate the effects of an increasing population.

says Subiton Resident and local Councillor, Yogan Yoganathan

The consultation runs until the 7th January and is available on the Kingston council website.