MPs' warning to Mayor over pollution risk to Olympics

5 April 2012

Pollution in London may blight the 2012 Olympics, MPs warned today.

They claimed that up to 4,000 people in the capital a year are dying early because of poor air quality.

Mayor Boris Johnson is failing to tackle the problem, according to the Commons environmental audit committee.

Joan Walley, the Labour chairwoman of the committee, said: "If the London Olympics really are going to be the greenest ever, then we need to see some serious action on air pollution from the Mayor in the next 10 months."

She called on Mr Johnson to reconsider extending the low emission zone, replace old taxis and buses with newer, cleaner models and encourage walking and cycling in the run-up to the Games.

A Department for Environment spokesman said: "The Government is working towards full compliance with EU air quality standards and progress has been made. We are investing significant sums of money to facilitate further reductions in pollution."

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