YP Letters: Gratifying to hear of action on '˜silent' killer'

The Yorkshire Post has repeatedly reported on the high incidence of deaths and poor health associated with poor air quality caused by high levels of pollution given out by motor vehicles especially from diesel driven cars, vans and lorries. The total number of deaths each year has been calculated as some 40,000 across Britain.

It is therefore gratifying to learn (The Yorkshire Post, November 8) that the Mayor of London Sadiq Khan is supporting any Government proposal to encourage motorists to move from diesel driven vehicles to those with a record of meeting emission targets that cause less problems to the health and well being of our citizens.

As the mayor has pointed out a sum of only £3m to fund a Government sponsored scheme offering grants across the UK to improve air quality is completely inadequate to encourage not just London but Yorkshire’s great cities such as Leeds, Sheffield, Bradford, York and Hull to bring in schemes to encourage drivers to scrap their diesel vehicles in favour of less polluting ones. The ‘silent killer’ of diesel driven vehicles is Britain’s greatest and increasing health risk that we ignore at our peril since the death rate is set to increase year by year until we act to help us all breath clearer air.