From The Sunday Times
March 1, 2009
UK tops league for toxic traffic fumes
We have the worst road pollution in Europe
Steven Swinford
BRITAIN suffers from the most widespread levels of dangerous traffic fumes in Europe, posing a serious risk to health, according to a government report.
Hundreds of local authorities breach European Union limits for nitrogen dioxide (NO2), which has been linked to asthma, stunted lung growth in children and premature death. The fumes on certain stretches of roads breach safety levels in 95% of cities and regions in the UK, compared with 82% in Austria, 52% in Germany and 21% in France.
The report from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) warns that Britain will breach EU air pollution laws and face swingeing fines unless it takes radical measures such as introducing subsidies for electric cars or a national road pricing scheme. It raises the spectre of Britain reverting to its past status as the dirty man of Europe as economic pressures lead to cuts in environmental standards............
Whole article here:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/uk/article5822104.ece
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