AIR POLLUTION: JOHNSTONE SLAMS GOVERNMENT INACTION
Alison Johnstone, MSP for Lothian, has today urged the Scottish Government to take urgent action on dangerous air pollution levels in the capital.
New figures have revealed that St John's Road in Edinburgh has the worst air pollution levels in the whole country. According to estimates,
poor air quality is causing 3,500 thousands premature deaths in Scotland every year.
Alison Johnstone, MSP for Lothian and Scottish Green Party candidate for Edinburgh Central for Holyrood 2016, said:
"It's shocking that we keep hearing news about alarming levels of pollution in our cities while thousands of Scottish people are dying prematurely
because of poor air quality. We're not just talking about a minor environmental nuisance - we're talking about a public health crisis.
“Despite continued warnings from health professionals, charities and community groups over the years, both Labour and SNP Governments have failed to
take this issue seriously. Green Councillors in Edinburgh have worked hard, with others, to get the city to introduce 20 miles per hour zones and to
invest properly in cycling and walking infrastructure. We know that these policies work, and we now need to be implemented them at a bigger, bolder
scale. We need the Scottish Government to recognise its responsibilities and take urgent action.”