High Court rules Tories’ air pollution plan illegal


Last month, the High Court ruled for the third time in three years that the UK government’s plans to tackle air pollution are unlawful . 


Environmental law firm ClientEarth, which brought the case, says that 33 local authorities must now investigate and identify measures to tackle illegal levels of pollution in their towns and cities. The councils include Portsmouth, Bradford, Plymouth, Wolverhampton, Leicester, Liverpool, Oxford and Sunderland. 


Environment minister Theresa Coffey confirmed the government will not appeal the decision. 


“The judge ruled that the government’s plans were seriously lacking and has ordered urgent and additional measures,” said ClientEarth lawyer Anna Heslop. “In addition ... the court has made an exceptional ruling which will allow us to return immediately to court if the government’s next plan is not good enough to protect people’s health.”


The Welsh government conceded the case against it and must produce a final plan to bring pollution within legal limits by the end of July. 


Meanwhile, the UK government must finalise new plans for England by 5 October.

https://www.clientearth.org/uk-will-not-appeal-court-ruling-unlawful-pollution-plans