16 December 2020
A coroner has today ruled that air pollution was a cause of the death of nine-year-old Ella Kissi-Debrah. [1]
Responding to the ruling, Sian Berry, Green Party co-leader and Mayor of London candidate, said:
“History has been made today, and we can finally see a measure of justice for Ella and for her mother Rosamund, who had fought so bravely to bring this case.
“Now we must see emergency action from all levels of Government: the Prime Minister, the Mayor and every local council, to eliminate the sources of deadly air pollution.”
Caroline Russell, Green Party transport spokesperson and London Assembly member, said:
“We have the tools to clean up our air, and every level of Government must use every single one of them, to save lives in the future.
“In London, this means expanding the ULEZ to the M25, and making our streets safer and more accessible so walking and cycling are the most convenient ways to get around. In the end, we must cut the overall number of miles driven. This means a smart fair system of road charging by the mile and according to engine emissions.
“Traffic clogged roads are not inevitable. Since the pandemic, the square mile of the City of London has been almost completely car free, with thousands of daily deliveries made on foot and by cargo bike. If we can do it there, we can do it anywhere we find toxic levels of pollution.”
ENDS
Notes
1
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