How and why Yorkshire must lead the way in tackling air pollution – Yorkshire Post letters

WITH the publication of the “real” extent of deaths due to air pollution comes clear evidence that it is only 18 per cent less than the 78,000 premature deaths caused each year by tobacco (The Yorkshire Post, March 13).

The Yorkshire Post says: How many more lives must be lost as link between congestion, pollution and health confirmed?

This merely confirms that Yorkshire’s political leaders are right to call for urgent action to clean up our major cities which breach World Health Organisation limits for air pollution, in particular York, Leeds, Sheffield and Hull.

We simply cannot wait for the Government announcement in 2017 for a ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel vehicles in Britain by 2040. Urgent action is required now if the scale of the problem gripping the region is to be addressed and, though unpopular, a charge on high polluting vehicles with the creation of Clean Air Zones is surely long overdue.

Where the present Government has faltered, let Yorkshire lead the way to avoid these completely unnecessary deaths on such a huge scale, not just in Britain but across the world.

After all, people can choose whether to smoke tobacco 
or not, but have no such alternative when either walking or cycling in our region’s many towns and cities.