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EMISSIONS FROM ROAD VEHICLES
Need to improve air quality
The Eighteenth Report expressed concern that emissions from road vehicles might be causing serious damage to human health and concluded there was a clear case for increasing the precautionary action taken to improve air quality, especially by reducing concentrations of particulates and nitrogen oxides. Nothing has happened subsequently to make the Commission take a different view (2.6).
- The Government is committed to reducing air pollution, including that from road transport. Since publication of the Eighteenth Report, the Department of Health's Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollutants has confirmed that air pollution has a large impact on human health. The National Air Quality Strategy contains health-based standards for eight pollutants of most concern and objectives for their achievement throughout the UK by 2005. These standards are based on recommendations from the Independent Expert Panel on Air Quality Standards and on World Health Organisation guidelines. They were given statutory force by the Air Quality Regulations 1997, which implement the Local Air Quality Management system. The Government is committed to achieving the health-based objectives set out in the National Air Quality Strategy and is working closely with local authorities to ensure that action plans are introduced wherever the objectives seem likely not to be met. It is also considering, as part of the review of the Strategy, whether other national measures are necessary and whether local authorities have sufficient powers in this area. New measures announced in the White Paper, such as congestion charging and the workplace parking levy, will contribute to the achievement of the objectives. Additionally, the further work promised on issues such as speed will include careful consideration of the impact of alternative approaches on air quality.
Projections...showed emissions of the main pollutants falling until 2007, but then rising again on the assumption that traffic continues to grow in accordance with the National Road Traffic Forecasts. These projections were based on what have turned out to be over-optimistic assumptions about the stringency of EC stage III limits. The long-term prospects for air quality are therefore a matter of considerable concern (2.97).
We welcome publication of the UK National Air Quality Strategy and the development of EC legislation which will require action at all levels to bring about improvements in air quality. Amongst other things there will need to be a continuing development of technology to ensure that vehicle emissions continue to decrease. Demanding standards must be set well ahead of the scheduled date of implementation to provide a stimulus to rapid technological innovation. The UK Government should maintain pressure for more stringent EC stage IV limits to come into effect in 2005-06, despite industry resistance. The permitted sulphur content of petrol and diesel must be reduced (as soon as possible to 50 ppm) to bring immediate benefits in reduced emissions and remove obstacles to the introduction of advanced vehicle technologies (2.99).
A scrappage scheme for private cars would not be a cost-effective way of using public money to improve air quality (2.54).
- The Government agrees that air quality will need continuing management, at local, national and international levels, if it is to be kept under control. The Government aims to achieve the air quality objectives set out in the National Air Quality Strategy by 2005 and also to sustain compliance beyond this timescale. The Government intends that the Strategy should continue beyond 2005 with regular reviews to ensure that the objectives reflect the most recent scientific and medical knowledge and provide the maximum feasible protection for public health. The European Air Quality Framework and Daughter Directives will establish limit values for a range of pollutants to be met either by 2005 or 2010. Assessments to ensure compliance with these limits will be undertaken and form part of the Strategy.
- During its Presidency of the European Union this year, the Government made rapid progress on the Auto-Oil programme. On behalf of the Council of Ministers it worked with the European Parliament on the directives on car and light van emissions and on fuel quality standards to secure a successful outcome to the conciliation process well ahead of what had been considered possible. As a result stringent emission standards have been established for passenger cars from 2000, and tighter mandatory standards from 2005. In particular, agreement was reached on a mandatory limit from 2005 of 50ppm sulphur in petrol and diesel. Furthermore, the UK Presidency secured the introduction of On-Board Diagnostic systems which will give drivers early warning of emission system failures. The agreement also includes a framework for tightening inspection and maintenance standards for all new vehicles. It also initiated discussion on the European Commission's proposed heavy duty vehicles directive, which establishes EC Stage VIII emission limits for diesel engines coming into effect in October 2000, and secured agreement in Council on the first Air Quality Daughter Directive.
- The Royal Commission's conclusion that scrappage schemes would not be a cost-effective way of using public money to improve air quality, supports the Government's view that such schemes are likely to entail high dead-weight losses for any environmental gain, though the Government will continue to look at all economic instruments for improving air quality.
Published 23 December 1998
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