A legal challenge today (Wednesday 30 May 2012) to force the Government to clean up the capital's dirty and dangerous air has been welcomed by Friends of the Earth.

The Government is defending a High Court ruling that rejected calls for the coalition to publish new plans for tackling air pollution, despite agreeing the UK had breached EU air quality legislation. The legal challenge is being bought by activist lawyers ClientEarth.

Friends of the Earth's London Campaigner Jenny Bates said:

"Poor air quality in the capital is breaching EU rules and causing thousands of Londoners to die prematurely every year.

"Ministers and the London Mayor must take urgent steps to tackle this killer pollution - it's a national scandal that air quality rules won't be met until 2025.

"It's time to tackle the root of the problem - too much dirty traffic - by investing in cleaner alternatives such as cycling and public transport."

ENDS

Notes to editors:

1. ClientEarth press release.

2. The UK is supposed to comply with legal air quality standards by 2015 – but the Government admits these won’t be met until 2025.