NICE issues guidance on policies to reduce vehicle emissions

Clean air zones and further congestion charging zones are among recommendations to councils in England to reduce air pollution, in draft guidance issued by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence.1

Mark Baker, director for the centre of clinical practice at NICE, said, “We can take steps now to encourage people to walk or cycle rather than drive, but these efforts will be futile if we do not have an achievable, long term plan to improve air quality. This draft guidance seeks to redesign how we work and live in cities.”

The guidance recommends that councils take air pollution into account in strategic planning across all departments, focusing on reducing the pollution generated by road traffic and the public’s exposure to it.

Road traffic is estimated to contribute more than 64% of air pollution recorded at urban sites. …