Air pollution may be making us less intelligent.

 

Second council signs cleaner air charter.

 

UNICEF UK anti-pollution campaign - "EVERY CHILD'S BREATH IS UNDER THREAT, LET'S CHANGE THAT". Please sign the petition on their website. Thank you!

 

North Tyneside Friends of the Earth report on air quality update:

 

Air Quality -  Summary of developments since the last meeting with the Local Authority: Recently, North Tyneside has received a £1.2m grant to retro fit 69 buses with technology to bring engines to Euro 6 standards, extra diffusion tubes for the DEFRA identified potential (by 2020)  exceedance area on A1058 at Newcastle/North Tyneside boundary. No progress on draft Air Quality Strategy, though, and Local Authority have failed to provide DEFRA with draft strategy for dealing with the potential "Exceedance"area, due 31/3/2018, and subject to Freedom of Information enquiry from Friends of the Earth nationally. No progress on diffusion tubes for all schools either or re-location of tubes to north west of borough-at our suggestion and still not done according to 2017 Air Status Report.

 

Suggested Event - At a supermarket to highlight people letting car engines "idle" in car parks, urging a switch off while waiting. Also, what about suggesting all supermarkets put a sign up to encourage customers to do this?

 

******************************************************************************************

 

Cullercoats Harbour Day and campaign against air pollution - letter sent to local press.

 

******************************************************************************************

 

Which Magazine - “77% of new diesel cars fail emission tests” (Change.org petition update)

 

******************************************************************************************

 

CapX article: The red diesel loophole is slowing the transition to cleaner alternatives.

 

******************************************************************************************

 

North Tyneside action on Saturday 18th August at Cullercoats Harbour Day, 12-1pm.

We will be wearing t-shirts and leafleting against air pollution, as part of our Pedestrian Rights Campaign. This is especially important given the danger of cars and their pollution on the sea front when it's very hot. No attempt has been made to make the sea front car-free like they did at the Tynemouth Festival. Please come and join us!

 

Guardian Opinion by John Vidal: Air pollution is a lethal blight that shames our politicians.

 

Hamburg becomes first German city to ban older diesel cars.

 

Government Clean Air Strategy: Reaction from the Transport Committee Chair.

 

European Parliament wants to protect workers from diesel exhausts. Click here for PDF document.

 

VW emissions: Transport Committee still pushing for answers. Click here for link to webpage.

 

Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership's list of reports, including the Low Emission Bus Guide: www.lowcvp.org.uk/resource-library/reports-and-studies.htm

 

Living near major roads and the incidence of dementia, Parkinson's disease, and multiple sclerosis: a population-based cohort study:

www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(16)32399-6/fulltext

 

PUBLIC MEETING: Air pollution in Gosforth: causes, effects, and solutions.

Tuesday April 26th, 7pm, South Northumberland Cricket Club, Gosforth, NE3 1LU (near Central Park, between Moor Road North and High St). Arranged in association with SPACE (www.spaceforgosforth.com).

 

SPEAKER: Professor Margaret Bell, Newcastle University - expert on transport and air pollution.

 

Newcastle has an estimated 225 premature deaths a year due to air pollution, mainly from traffic, and Gosforth has two of the worst areas for air pollution in Newcastle - Gosforth High Street and South Gosforth roundabout.