08.05.17
MPs urge parties to reduce air pollution through light rail investment
A group of influential MPs have called for political parties to improve the UK’s poor urban air quality by investing in cleaner trams.
Politicians on the All Party Parliamentary Light Rail Group (APLRG) have sent a letter to all the main political parties asking for the issue to be addressed in their manifestos, to highlight the key role light rail and trams have as a solution to having no pollution at the point of use.
Last week, the government finally published its draft plan to improve air quality by reducing nitrogen dioxide levels in the UK.
But Greg Mulholland MP, chair of the APPLRG, said: “The quality of our air should be a political priority as it has a huge impact on the health of the nation.
“That is why we are calling on every party to have in their manifesto, a commitment to improving air quality.”
Mulholland added that this issue was now even more important due to the announcement of the general election which will force parties to defend their policies and “have a genuine debate about how to tackle such a large public health issue”.
And TramForward, which is the campaigning arm of the Light Rail Transit Association, also said they fully support the call to lower air pollution.
Daniel Giblin, of TramForward, said: “We are campaigning for ‘Trams for Clean Air’ and a new Clean Air Act. Trams are the non-polluting transportation answer for cities, towns and villages to achieve improved air quality.”
Giblin added that TramForward was initiating funding trials to investigate new alternative financial models with an informed group of experts and prospective global funders to demonstrate how effective economic management can overcome funding gaps in new tram system business cases and achieve a positive return on investment.
“Our aim is to encourage government, local authorities and the private sector to rethink how to invest in trams for economic growth, excellence in public health and community customer service,” he explained.
“We will build on the groundswell of positive opinion towards Trams in the UK through TramForward's participation in public debates, we will lobby for 'Trams for Clean Air' explaining to communities and stakeholders the exceptional good value for taxpayers of Trams, their environmental benefits and also the avoidance of traffic congestion and car gridlock.”
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