AIR QUALITY AND DIESEL EMISSIONS IN URBAN CENTRES

That this House notes that 40,000 people die prematurely each year in the UK from diesel pollution; further notes that diesel cars produce 22 times more carcinogenic particulates than petrol and four times more nitrous oxides, that these emissions cause lung and blood vessel damage, heart disease, stroke and diabetes, and that these medical effects have been known for over 15 years; further notes that air pollution costs the economy £20 billion each year, that 50 per cent of new cars in the UK are now diesel, up from less than five per cent in 1992, and that laboratory emissions testing has not reflected on-road driving conditions, while some vehicles have had test-cheating devices installed; and calls on the Government to improve urban air quality by ensuring vehicle emissions-testing reflects on-road driving conditions, empowering local authorities to extend low emissions zones and pedestrianisation, restricting older more heavily polluting diesel vehicles from polluted urban areas, encouraging electric tram systems and LPG, hydrogen-powered or electric buses and taxis, introducing vehicle scrappage and LPG conversion schemes for older more polluting diesel vehicles and using fiscal measures to encourage a switch towards sustainable public and private transport.