Archived press release

Shock health report shows need for traffic cuts

15 June 1999

The WHO report looked at pollution in Austria, Switzerland and France. It found that 21,000 people in these countries died early every year as a result of air pollution. This is more than the number killed in road accidents (9947).

In the UK, Government figures say 12-24,000 people may die early every year as a result of air pollution [2]. In 1997, 3,599 people died in road accidents [3] Government modelling shows Britain will fail to meet air quality targets in many towns and cities. The number of places where targets are met would rise dramatically if traffic levels were cut [4].

Roger Higman, Senior Transport Campaigner at Friends of the Earth said:

“This report shows how air pollution is killing thousands of people every year.Labour took office promising to tackle Britain's transport crisis. But after more than two years, there are no national targets for cutting traffic. If anything, traffic levels are forecast to rise. Complacency over clogged roads costs lives.”



NOTES TO EDITORS:

[1] World Health Organisation Press Backgrounder “New WHO ministerial report reveals that pollution from cars kills even more people than do car accidents” 15 June 1999
[2] Department of Health/Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants “Quantification of the effects of air pollution in health in the UK” 1998
[3] Department of the Environment, Transport and the Regions “Transport Statistics Great Britain 1998"
[4] Stedman, Bush & King/AEA Technology 'An empirical model for estimating roadside nitrogen dioxide concentrations' 1999. This says current policies will lead to a reduction in nitrogen dioxide emissions of 50% by 2005. Even allowing for this, the scientists estimate that 761 roads around the country could still break the Government's annual health standard for nitrogen dioxide. However, when a cut of 30%in emissions from traffic was factored in, the number of roads breaking the health standard falls to 116.

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Published by Friends of the Earth Trust