Skip to main content

Green MEP calls for action on air pollution as public transport costs rise

A UK Green MEP has attacked the failure of consecutive UK governments to take action on air pollution, while public transport costs continue to rise. Keith Taylor, Green MEP for the South East, says new government figures released in response to a written question by Caroline Lucas MP, show the cost of motoring, including purchasing a vehicle, has fallen by 20 per cent since 1980, while rail fares have risen by 63 per cent and bus and coach fares are up by 64 per cent. According to a report by the Royal Col
May 4, 2017 Read time: 1 min
A UK Green MEP has attacked the failure of consecutive UK governments to take action on air pollution, while public transport costs continue to rise.


Keith Taylor, Green MEP for the South East, says new government figures released in response to a written question by Caroline Lucas MP, show the cost of motoring, including purchasing a vehicle, has fallen by 20 per cent since 1980, while rail fares have risen by 63 per cent and bus and coach fares are up by 64 per cent.

According to a report by the Royal College of Physicians and the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health, around 40,000 deaths each year in the UK are attributable to exposure to outdoor air pollution.

The High Court has ruled that the government must reveal its plans for tackling air pollution by 9 May.

Related Content

  • US road safety continues to improve
    February 7, 2012
    Road safety continues to improve according to the latest figures from the US Department of Transportation. The recorded data shows that in 2009 the US had the lowest level of traffic fatalities since 1954.
  • Government traffic statistics ‘highlight a growing issue in the UK’
    August 12, 2016
    The UK Department for Transport has issued its provisional estimates of road traffic in Great Britain for the year ending June 2016 by vehicle type and road class. These show that motor vehicle traffic was at a record high with 319.3 billion vehicle miles travelled, at 1.5 per cent higher than the previous year and 1.6 per cent higher than September 2007). Rolling annual motor vehicle traffic has now increased each quarter in succession for three years. Compared to the previous year, all road class
  • Luxembourg to make public transport free
    December 11, 2018
    Luxembourg is to become the first country in the world to allow free travel for everyone on public transport.
  • Cubic’s holistic view of traffic management
    May 25, 2022
    How can cities and transit agencies ease congested roadways? Andy Taylor of Cubic Transportation Systems suggests it would help to take a more holistic view of the problem