Exposed: Boris Johnson’s efforts to evade air pollution rules

Darren Johnson AM represents the Green Party in the London Assembly

Governments of all colours have failed to deal with air pollution, but as time runs out to meet European deadlines for reducing emissions, we are facing the prospect of an estimated £300m in fines. That is leading to some extra-ordinary attempts to evade the fines and shift the blame. I don’t claim this is a comprehensive list, but I thought I would give a few examples.

Darren-Johnson-pollution-busting-pot-plant-opposite-Lower-Thames-Street-monitoring-station The Government gave £5m to the mayor to carry out measures that would reduce the amount of pollution measured by the key air quality monitoring stations on the Marylebone Road and Lower Thames street.

These are key because Marylebone Road is one of the few monitoring stations where the results are reported directly to European commission and Lower Thames Street is on the olympic route network which will be the focus of a lot of attention during 2012.

They key point is that most of this £5m will be spent reducing the pollution measured, rather than reducing the pollution produced.

Some of the £5m will be used to actually reduce the amount of pollution by fitting filters onto those buses which pass these monitoring stations, but not on bus routes in neighbouring areas which don’t report to Europe. However, the TfL committee papers also outline how some of the money has been spent on measures like pot plants and spray cleaning the underside of London Bridge just above the main air pollution monitor on the Olympic Route Network.

The bulk of the one off payment of £5m is going on an attempt to glue the pollution to the road, near the all important monitoring sites. This doesn’t actually stop pollution being produced, it just stops it floating around the area where you have sprayed on the day you have sprayed.

The trial found that you have to spray at least twice a day to get a reduction which measures in double figures and the trial concludes that the results were only applicable within the narrow corridor of the study with those particular road conditions. So, it is very much work in progress.

The attempt to blame Europe for the air pollution episode earlier this year got a lot of publicity.

The mayor claimed that the pollution spike that sent central London over the European limit of 35 bad air days for particulate pollution (PM10), was mostly due to winds blowing the pollution over from the continent. This foreign pollution seems particularly cunning, as it mostly by-passed air pollution monitoring stations in the suburbs of London and headed for measuring devices on the Marylebone Road and Lower Thames Street.

Even if we accept the Mayor’s argument that 80 per cent of the pollution earlier this year was down to foreigners, then his focus on gluing pollution to the road just doesn’t help.

His study states (page 54, pdf):

“Dust suppressants will not be a useful abatement technique for preventing exceedences of the PM10 EU limit value where the key driver is long range pollution.”

One of the more remarkable arguments used by the government is that they can reduce the amount of pollution reported to Europe by around five per cent due to the presence of sea salt on the Marylebone Road. As ridiculous as this might sound, at least the results from the Marylebone Road monitoring station are being reported.

That is not the case with the overwhelming majority of the sites within the London air quality monitoring network, which is funded jointly by the Government, the mayor of London and the local councils. For example, people at the busy Vauxhall bus station can see the monitoring station from where they are queuing, yet the results of that monitoring station are not reported to Europe as the site “may not meet” the strict European scientific standards.

Despite the fact that the air quality monitoring system has been in place for over a decade and that the local, regional and national officials regularly met to discuss air pollution, apparently none of them knows if these monitoring sites do, or do not, meet the criteria.

As a result, the pollution at Vauxhall bus station may or may not be over the legal limits, but it doesn’t really matter to Whitehall as they don’t have to tell Europe about it. Some have tried to get the government or the mayor to simply e-mail the local officials who run these monitoring stations, but they evade & refuse. As long as they don’t ask and don’t get told, then they don’t have to report uncomfortable facts to Europe, or do anything to urgently address the problem.

A recent health study showed that living near roads with over 10,000 vehicles a day could be responsible for some 15- 30 per cent of all new cases of asthma in children. There are 2,270 schools in London are within 400 metres of roads carrying 10,000 or more vehicles per day. They are spread out across the capital and don’t match up to the Mayor’s map of pollution hotspots and most are no where near the Government’s limited number of monitoring stations.

hese schools are just part of the real problem with air pollution in London, but they have been forgotten about as the Mayor and government focus on dodging the fines, rather than solving the problem.

See also:

• Government continues not being greenest ever – Alex Hern, October 3rd 2011

• “Greenest government ever” ordered to face High Court on air pollution – Shamik Das, September 16th 2011

• Boris’s backward steps for London on pollution and traffic congestion – Eleanor Besley, June 3rd 2011

• Coalition aviation policy is still green… for now – Natan Doron, March 29th 2011

• Who will turn London green? – Joss Garman, September 20th 2010

http://twitter.com/ochre_lad/status/121217385595285504 Hugh Potter

Exposed: Boris Johnson’s efforts to evade air pollution rules: http://t.co/6JNKqHZA by @DarrenJohnsonAM #ToryCon #CPC11
http://twitter.com/boriscope/status/121217980137873409 Boris Johnson

Exposed: Boris Johnson's efforts to evade air pollution rules – Left Foot Forward: Left Foot ForwardExpo… http://t.co/MSv8uZ5j #London
http://twitter.com/tootlesthetaxi/status/121220225529159680 Mark White

Air pollution cheats exposed @mayoroflondon. You won't believe some of this cpc11# http://t.co/IhN4N82Z
http://twitter.com/alexhern/status/121232642896179200 Alex Hern

THIRD TRY. A trio of reasons to back #ken4london: http://t.co/efuSr7hL http://t.co/1tOzVZJM http://t.co/xgNyiOdN
http://twitter.com/andy_s_64/status/121234047031705600 Andy S

Air pollution cheats exposed @mayoroflondon. You won't believe some of this cpc11# http://t.co/sKWADoqN (via @DarrenJohnsonAM)
http://twitter.com/charliekiss/status/121250966711451648 Charlie Kiss

Air pollution cheats exposed @mayoroflondon. You won't believe some of this cpc11# http://t.co/IhN4N82Z
http://twitter.com/darrenjohnsonam/status/121270981422620672 Darren Johnson

Air pollution cheats exposed @mayoroflondon. You may not believe it, but… http://t.co/Whmyrrqe cpc11#
http://twitter.com/anna_bragga/status/121278508881297408 Anna Bragga

RT @leftfootfwd: Exposed: Boris Johnson’s efforts to evade air pollution rules http://t.co/LUcd3tlb
http://twitter.com/alexhern/status/121280090653986816 Alex Hern

@ShellyAsquith see this? RT @alexhern: A trio of reasons to back #ken4london: http://t.co/efuSr7hL http://t.co/1tOzVZJM http://t.co/xgNyiOdN
http://twitter.com/shellyasquith/status/121328671117156352 Shelly Asquith

@ShellyAsquith see this? RT @alexhern: A trio of reasons to back #ken4london: http://t.co/efuSr7hL http://t.co/1tOzVZJM http://t.co/xgNyiOdN
http://twitter.com/darrenjohnsonam/status/121487785138995200 Darren Johnson

Good read. Full list of Government & @mayoroflondon pollution cheats @sackBoris2012 @CleanAirLondon @Boriswatch http://t.co/Whmyrrqe
http://twitter.com/ellispritchard/status/121491912501891072 ellispritchard

Good read. Full list of Government & @mayoroflondon pollution cheats @sackBoris2012 @CleanAirLondon @Boriswatch http://t.co/Whmyrrqe
http://twitter.com/greenjeanmep/status/121497264110829568 Jean Lambert MEP

Great blog from @DarrenJohnsonAM on Mayor's air pollution cheats. You couldn't make it up…http://t.co/3Y0JVimY
Selohesra

The real madness is that someone signed up for these ridiculous fines over some very dodgy science – climate has been changing long before mankind has been around and volcanoes puff out more polution than London buses. I sometimes think these eco-loons want to drive us back to the stoneage or failing that year zero Khmer Rouge style
http://twitter.com/airmonitoring/status/121536344039231488 Enviro Technology

Exposed: Boris Johnson’s efforts to evade air pollution rules http://t.co/wl6kUwI4
http://twitter.com/darrenjohnsonam/status/121537297463259136 Darren Johnson

Want to see one of the @mayoroflondon pollution busting pot plants (part of £5m investment) – here is a photo http://t.co/IhN4N82Z
http://twitter.com/operacreep/status/121538451890905088 George

Want to see one of the @mayoroflondon pollution busting pot plants (part of £5m investment) – here is a photo http://t.co/IhN4N82Z
http://twitter.com/briseglace/status/121539287975067648 Matt Kendall

Want to see one of the @mayoroflondon pollution busting pot plants (part of £5m investment) – here is a photo http://t.co/IhN4N82Z
http://twitter.com/tom_chance/status/121539879971717120 Tom Chance

Tee hee… picture of Boris' topiary solution to air pollution in London: http://t.co/6D4mJAV5
http://twitter.com/darrenjohnsonam/status/121539920950071296 Darren Johnson

Is the @MayorofLondon cheating on air pollution? Read & decide @JanezPotocnikEU @john_vidal http://t.co/IhN4N82Z
http://twitter.com/steve4319/status/121540259325550592 Steve Hynd

Is the @MayorofLondon cheating on air pollution? Read & decide @JanezPotocnikEU @john_vidal http://t.co/IhN4N82Z
http://twitter.com/bc_tmh/status/121542772057587713 Tim Hardy

#sackboris RT @DarrenJohnsonAM Is @MayorofLondon cheating on air pollution? Read & decide @JanezPotocnikEU @john_vidal http://t.co/h6FVQfsU
http://twitter.com/longreenparty/status/121594290085429248 Jenny For London

Govt has given Boris £5m to glue London pollution to roads where monitoring sites are located says @DarrenJohnsonAM http://t.co/sgWGAsDC
http://twitter.com/andy_s_64/status/121594970653200385 Andy S

Govt has given Boris £5m to glue London pollution to roads where monitoring sites are located says @DarrenJohnsonAM http://t.co/sgWGAsDC
http://twitter.com/howarthm/status/121596310573957121 Meg Howarth

Gov given Boris £5m to glue London pollution to roads where monitoring sites located http://t.co/g7zW5e4Q<True @DefraGovUK? @DarrenJohnsonAM
http://twitter.com/billlinton1/status/121616218401669120 Bill Linton

Great blog from @DarrenJohnsonAM on Mayor's air pollution cheats. You couldn't make it up…http://t.co/3Y0JVimY
Ian Wingrove

Comment by Selohesra

I realise that this is pointing out the obvious, but air pollution which impacts on human health is well established science. London’s great smogs clearly killed thousands of people every year and led to the Clean Air Act back in the 1950s. Today’s invisible smogs are mostly to do with traffic, rather than volcanoes.
Caroline

As an asthmatic I’ll be glad if we get fined, we might actually see some proper action. In the warm weather I notice the effect of London’s pollution on my breathing. Boris’s failure to act on this is actually killing people and making our children ill. No dodgy science there. The only thing thats dodgy is the methods being used by the Mayor to fudge the figures.
Sue

Selohesra – did you read the article? It’s about air pollution and the impact on Londoners’ health, especially those with asthma etc. It’s not about climate change.
http://twitter.com/thegreenparty/status/121857491331063808 The Green Party

http://t.co/uxe5NpYw Exposed: Boris Johnson’s efforts to evade air pollution rules
http://twitter.com/earsopen/status/121857492899725312 Joseph Williams

http://t.co/gUs542on Exposed: Boris Johnson’s efforts to evade air pollution rules
http://twitter.com/longreenparty/status/121857494669733888 Jenny For London

http://t.co/FrZqDLEF Exposed: Boris Johnson’s efforts to evade air pollution rules
http://twitter.com/orangeocontact/status/121857587498065920 Orangeo

http://t.co/uxe5NpYw Exposed: Boris Johnson’s efforts to evade air pollution rules
http://twitter.com/linnet1968/status/121859009123848192 linnet1968

http://t.co/uxe5NpYw Exposed: Boris Johnson’s efforts to evade air pollution rules
http://twitter.com/andy_s_64/status/121859144323055616 Andy S

http://t.co/uxe5NpYw Exposed: Boris Johnson’s efforts to evade air pollution rules
http://twitter.com/owlglass/status/121860140055003136 Cathy Edwards

http://t.co/FrZqDLEF Exposed: Boris Johnson’s efforts to evade air pollution rules
http://twitter.com/lmwalter/status/121860907885264896 Luke Walter

http://t.co/uxe5NpYw Exposed: Boris Johnson’s efforts to evade air pollution rules
http://twitter.com/bridgei/status/121866513195077632 Ian Bridge

Methane not just a cattle issue then. RT @TheGreenParty http://t.co/5RJ0wvxO Exposed: Boris Johnson’s efforts to evade air pollution rules
http://twitter.com/syzygysyzygysue/status/121867321764614144 Sue Davies

http://t.co/uxe5NpYw Exposed: Boris Johnson’s efforts to evade air pollution rules
http://twitter.com/illi4141/status/121873303534174208 illinois cook

http://t.co/uxe5NpYw Exposed: Boris Johnson’s efforts to evade air pollution rules
http://twitter.com/ifiwaszen/status/121875543963611136 Andy

http://t.co/uxe5NpYw Exposed: Boris Johnson’s efforts to evade air pollution rules
http://twitter.com/greenuk_lgbt/status/121880979269894144 Green Party LGBT

http://t.co/uxe5NpYw Exposed: Boris Johnson’s efforts to evade air pollution rules
http://www.londonair.org.uk Ian

The difference between volcanoes and London buses is that volcanoes don’t puff their pollution within a few metres of where millions of people are trying to live and work. Call environmentalists names if you like, but would you prefer to breathe clean air or dirty air? Go to a remote spot and sample a lungful before replying. And who said anything about climate change? Off-topic alert!
http://twitter.com/camdengp/status/121888204050808832 Camden Green Party

Exposed: Boris Johnson’s efforts to evade air pollution rules http://t.co/KijIREtH
http://twitter.com/camdenfb/status/121888362373201920 camdenfb

Exposed: Boris Johnson’s efforts to evade air pollution rules http://t.co/F9ZvjojS #fb
http://twitter.com/essexwomble/status/121888380698112001 Paul Jeater

http://t.co/uxe5NpYw Exposed: Boris Johnson’s efforts to evade air pollution rules
http://twitter.com/natalieben/status/121888411874373632 natalieben

Exposed: Boris Johnson’s efforts to evade air pollution rules http://t.co/KijIREtH
http://www.leftfootforward.org/2011/10/boris-johnson-london-mayor-policies-making-london-less-safe/ Boris’s policies are making London less safe | Left Foot Forward

[...] also: • Exposed: Boris Johnson’s efforts to evade air pollution rules - Darren Johnson AM, 4th October [...]
http://twitter.com/joestanleysmith/status/122121975341645824 Joe Stanley-Smith

http://t.co/6cre91Ec Boris Johnson evading Euro air pollution rules for London… what a farce!
http://twitter.com/bigtatty/status/122126613692424192 Wookie

Exposed: Boris Johnson’s efforts to evade air pollution rules http://t.co/PC3qi9hT
http://twitter.com/fool_4_twitt_r/status/122146529699037184 Roy Lee Taylor

RT @leftfootfwd: Exposed: Boris Johnson’s efforts to evade air pollution rules http://t.co/I5IMy0J6
http://twitter.com/cpt_ed/status/122179473239056384 Edwin Wallace

RT @leftfootfwd: Exposed: Boris Johnson’s efforts to evade air pollution rules http://t.co/K2mYhRGh
http://twitter.com/andy_s_64/status/122185915773878272 Andy S

Shocking expose from @DarrenJohnsonAM on Boris attempt to deal with London pollution by gluing it to roads http://t.co/nHgcs60n
http://twitter.com/ukfpi/status/122187273684008960 AdamFlude &Friends

Shocking expose from @DarrenJohnsonAM on Boris attempt to deal with London pollution by gluing it to roads http://t.co/nHgcs60n
http://twitter.com/jimmcquaid/status/122192684952731648 jimmcquaid

Does the #ClearfLo (http://t.co/3fGIOeXh ) team know about this?? Exposed: Boris trying to evade air pollution rules http://t.co/6LssfwbP
http://twitter.com/fgam/status/122192685170819072 FGAM

Does the #ClearfLo (http://t.co/NT0uLoFD ) team know about this?? Exposed: Boris trying to evade air pollution rules http://t.co/jmQrB2Wn
http://twitter.com/sustainabubble/status/122193109491785728 Sustainabubble

#sackboris is trying to deal with symptoms rather than the underlying problems which cause #airquality problems http://t.co/Vfo7DRW1
http://twitter.com/s_elliott_uk/status/122203995606491137 Stephen Elliott

Shocking expose from @DarrenJohnsonAM on Boris attempt to deal with London pollution by gluing it to roads http://t.co/nHgcs60n
http://twitter.com/decymru/status/122208902254301184 Martin M. Jones

Shocking expose from @DarrenJohnsonAM on Boris attempt to deal with London pollution by gluing it to roads http://t.co/nHgcs60n
http://twitter.com/jawj/status/122218538630000640 George MacKerron

Shocking expose from @DarrenJohnsonAM on Boris attempt to deal with London pollution by gluing it to roads http://t.co/nHgcs60n
http://twitter.com/drsea4greens/status/122272142334246912 Sea Rotmann

Exposed: Boris Johnson’s efforts to evade air pollution rules http://t.co/KijIREtH
http://www.leftfootforward.org/2011/10/look-left-07-10-11/ Look Left – Miliband shuffles the shadows as Clarke/May feud drags on | Left Foot Forward

[...] Iain Duncan Smith, employment minister Chris Grayling, Welsh secretary Cheryl Gillan, Mayor of London Boris Johnson and the prime minister [...]
http://twitter.com/urbanforesters/status/123127053758382080 E&C Urban Forest

While Lend Lease build for the car @E&C: RT @leftfootfwd: Exposed: Boris Johnson’s efforts to evade air pollution rules http://t.co/UkfFnrX3
http://twitter.com/mwolfindale/status/127367216315367424 mwolfindale

Boris Johnson's attempt to deal with London pollution by gluing it to roads: http://t.co/MtVkB51J
http://twitter.com/greenkeithmep/status/127429859747176449 Keith Taylor

Boris is gluing #airpollution to the roads to avoid fines – Green GLA members are not impressed: http://t.co/983a9W1g
http://t.co/983a9W1g
http://twitter.com/Nicholas_I_S Nicholas Sanderson

“Like” the Facebook campaign page to send a message to Boris: http://www.facebook.com/dirtyborisjohnson
http://twitter.com/longreenparty/status/147658611039019009 London Green Party

@DarrenJohnsonAM explains the reason for #DirtyBoris petition @leftfootfwd here: http://t.co/sgWGAsDC #london #air #cars #health #EU
http://www.leftfootforward.org/2012/01/the-environment-trumps-the-debate-between-a-tunnel-or-a-bridge/ The environment trumps the debate between a tunnel or a bridge | Left Foot Forward

[...] also: • Exposed: Boris Johnson’s efforts to evade air pollution rules – Darren Johnson AM, October 4th [...]