Two London councils to ban polluters
Two London borough councils are going to ban all vehicles except ultra-low emission variants in key areas during peak times to reduce air pollution. Starting on September 3rd, petrol, diesel and older hybrids will have to be careful where they drive at times.
A total of nine streets in Hackney and Islington will be affected by the ban, which is the first of it’s kind in the UK. The times where combustion and older hybrid vehicles will be banned from the streets are 7-10 am and 4-7 pm, addressing peak rush hour periods.
If vehicles that are not allowed are caught on CCTV, they will receive a fine, although it was not disclosed how hefty this will be. The scheme was first brought to the public and approved by 70% of residents within 10 km of the affected roads, while a more recent referendum had 56% approving. “Failing to act on poor air quality, which causes nearly 10,000 premature deaths across London every year, is not an option, and that’s why we’re being bolder than ever in our efforts to tackle it,” said Feryal Demirci, the deputy mayor of Hackney.
Simultaneously, Hackney also announced plans for 180 new charging stations in the borough, which will join the 22 already constructed. They will be constructed over the next year.
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