Councillors Kevin Warnes and Martin Love have demanded Bradford Council do more to tackle the air pollution crisis across the district.
Both councillors attended the launch of Clean Air Bradford in Shipley on Saturday afternoon to speak to concerned residents and campaigners who want to see more being done to tackle air pollution in Bradford District.
Councillor Kevin Warnes said “it was great to see so many people with a wealth of experience coming together looking to come up with ways to tackle pollution.
“Some of the most polluted roads in our district are right here in Shipley and Bradford Council really does need to stop and think about how we can improve this for the people living here.
“There is a lot of frustration that in one breath the Council claims to want to tackle air pollution but then it approves an application to build Incinerator in the Aire Valley, or starts consulting about widening roads in Shipley to make it easier for HGVs to come through the town.”
Last year, Bradford District Green Party launched our “Let Bradford Breathe” campaign and put forward ideas to tackle the problem. These included making sure that all buses and taxis meet low emission standards and make walking and cycling easier and safer across Bradford District.
Councillor Martin Love added “We need to take a step back and look at the big picture here. Looking at traffic is only part of the solution.
“Part of the problems come down to national policy, but we need to think about planning policy. Why is Bradford Council allocating land for housing and industry in places where the only way to get around is to drive?”
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has ordered Bradford Council to establish an urgent plan to reduce emissions across the district.
The World Health Organisation links air pollution to heart attacks, strokes, asthma and underdeveloped lungs in children. It has also been linked to Alzheimer’s Disease.