Rochdale MP, Tony Lloyd, has called on the Chancellor to take urgent action on air pollution in the upcoming budget.

Tony said, “Harmful particulates — such as vehicle emissions, dust from roads or construction sites — have caused up to 36,000 deaths per year. That is an astonishing figure.

“By 2025, this will also cost the NHS and social care system an estimated £1.6 billion. It’s clear that the current approach to tackling poor air quality and healthcare funding isn’t working.

“We need to take action on this now. The government must look at adopting WHO air quality standards by 2040 if we are to bring dangerous levels of toxic air down.”

Tony has backed the ‘Enjoy the Air’ campaign in writing to the Chancellor, calling for “monitoring and analysing particulate matter to bring dangerous levels down.”

In the letter, they argue that “biofuel-powered vehicles, electric public transport, and low emission zones are all tools that should be deployed to mitigate the devastating effects of toxic air. These measures are to asthma and lung disease what the sugar tax is to diabetes and obesity. Critically, the Treasury must begin to see reductions in air pollution today as a direct offset against healthcare bills tomorrow.”

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