THE Scottish Government's proposals to address illegal air pollution levels are "dismal" according to environmental campaigns who claim it's lack of action is putting the lives of Scots at risk.
Friends of the Earth (FOE), World Wildlife Fund (WWF) Scotland and legal firm Client Earth claim this week's "headline-grabbing" announcement that the UK would ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2040, covered up for the fact that the Scottish Government put "almost nothing new on the table".
They claim its failure to address the health crisis caused by air pollution was leading to 2500 premature Scottish deaths each year. Unsafe levels of air pollution have measured in 38 "zones" across 14 Scottish local authorities. Campaigners and are calling for the target to be brought forward to 2030 north of the border in response.
Though they have lobbied for widespread low emission zones – which can involve city centres areas made open only to electric vehicles or even pedestrianised – to be introduced across all areas of high pollution and most urgently in Glasgow, Edinburgh and Aberdeen, the Scottish Government committed to just one in last week's air quality plan. It's location is unconfirmed.
Campaigning organisations also claim an opportunity to introduce effective measures such as work parking levies, which would see businesses pay for car parking spaces with money raised invested in transport infrastructure, have been missed.
Anna Heslop, air quality lawyer for environmental lawyers, ClientEarth, said it would be monitoring the situation carefully.
Last November legal firm ClientEarth won its High Court case against the UK Government over its failure to tackle illegal air pollution. Though it is not currently planning further legal action it would not rule out the possibility of taking the Scottish Government to court as a last resort.
"The Scottish Government’s dismal proposals to deal with illegally polluted air are going to leave many Scottish people breathing unhealthily dirty air for years to come," she added.
"They had the opportunity to do something bold to fix it and they didn't take that opportunity. The First Minister should do all she can to protect the health of all Scots."
Emilia Hanna, air pollution campaigner for FOE Scotland, said: "Air quality is devolved, meaning it is solely the Scottish Government’s entire responsibility to meet EU air quality laws in Scotland.
"Its input into the new plans was practically identical to its input into the UK’s 2015 air quality plan, a plan which was ruled illegal by the High Court for failing to be ambitious enough. We rightly expected the Scottish Government to put much more into this plan."
Sarah Beattie-Smith, policy officer for WWF Scotland added: "The Scottish Government doesn't have power on tax but there are a whole range of simple measures that it could take right now." As well as low emission zones and parking levies, used in Nottingham to fee for a fleet of electric buses, it should introduce proper cycle lanes and footpaths, she claimed. Electric car drivers could be incentivised by being allowed to drive in bus lanes, as well as city centre zones made out of bounds for other cars.
But Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham insisted the government was determine to improve air quality with plans for the country's first low emission zone well under way.
" Officials are studying the detail of the UK Government’s plans to phase out petrol and diesel cars and, crucially, what they mean for Scotland," she said.
"We are determined to ensure Scotland continues to set an example for the rest of the UK and countries across Europe and around the world to follow."
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