Transport for London TfL is progressing its Better Junctions and Cycle Superhighway proposals for the Broadway and Town Centre in conjunction with the Council’s Highways Department. There have been concerns raised over various issues including bus lanes in Beadon Road and further consultations are due to take place at the end of June.

The long term ambition for the Flyunder is still part of the Local Plan but needs further and more committed engagement by TfL.

Preparation is still in progress for the major repair works scheduled for Hammersmith Bridge next year : No dates for the repairs and related closure have been announced yet : The Hammersmith Society have asked to be consulted on the colours and lighting of the bridge.

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The Hammersmith and Fulham Air Quality Commission report was adopted by the Council in November. The Commissioners, chaired by Rosemary Pettit, have recently asked the Council for an update on the Commission’s recommendations.

A total of 25 recommendations were presented to LBHF council, and 17 of these have been acted upon. These include an Urban Ecology Plan, an increase in diesel permit charges, a target of converting Council fleets to low-emission vehicles, and arboricultural and greening policies to be promoted in the Local Plan and Supplementary Planning Documents. Further details

At Government level, MPs from four influential committees will launch a joint inquiry into the scale and impact of UK air pollution. The Environmental Audit Committee, Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee, Health Committee and Transport Committee will consider mounting scientific evidence on the health and environmental effects of toxic air. The H&F Air Quality Commission report will be submitted to the inquiry.

At GLA level, the Mayor of London is to prioritise air quality in a new London Plan, expand use of electric buses, reduce vehicle ‘idling’ and review London’s Climate Change and Energy Strategy.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, today announced plans for 10 more Low Emission Bus Zones deploying the greenest buses on the capital’s most polluted routes to cut harmful nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions. This is in addition to the two zones already announced at Putney High Street and between Brixton and Streatham.

The zones are expected to reduce NOx emissions from buses along the routes by around 84 per cent. They form part of the Mayor’s hard-hitting measures to tackle London’s air, with major plans set to be implemented in 2017 to tackle the dirtiest vehicles.

The two additional Low Emission Bus Zones affecting Hammersmith are:

• Uxbridge Road to Shepherds Bush – from Ealing Broadway via Hanger Lane to Uxbridge Road, The Broadway
• Chiswick High Road to Kensington – via Hammersmith Broadway and Kensington High Street to Studland Street.

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Melanie Whitlock and I have tried very hard – since the beginning of the year – to secure a hustings for the people of Hammersmith to hear what the main candidates are offering us and ask them questions. There are so many issues that are important to us including of course housing, Heathrow, air quality, the Flyunder, plans for Hammersmith Broadway, tall buildings generally and much more . . . Regrettably although we had secured a venue, St Paul’s Church, and a chairman, Sarah Montague of the BBC Today programme, we have been unsuccessful in persuading either Zac or Sadiq to find time.

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This continues to be hot news with regular features appearing in London papers and local news bulletins. This month Rosemary Pettit’s Resident-led Commission is taking evidence.

Rosemary notes that the background and purpose of the Commission are as follows:

Hammersmith and Fulham has the eighth highest percentage of early deaths attributable to nitrogen dioxide and to particulate matter air pollution in London, according to a report by King’s College London.  The report, commissioned by the Greater London Authority and Transport for London, estimates that this contributes to the early deaths of 203 residents per year.

In response to this, Hammersmith & Fulham Council has established a resident-led Air Quality Commission to look into the problem.  The Commission will engage with external experts and local residents in examining the causes and dangers of local air pollution and propose potential solutions to help reduce it. Hammersmith resident, Rosemary Pettit, is chairing the Commission, which will run for some 6 months and report to Hammersmith and Fulham Council.

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As previously noted, our former Hammersmith Society Chairman Rosemary Pettit is chairing the Council’s Commission on Air Quality.

Unfortunately she is finding it a bit slow getting off the ground which is a pity as it is becoming an increasingly hot topic with the VW emissions scandal and new evidence on diesel pollution in the form of nitrous oxide particles and the potential announcement on Heathrow. There have been a number of newspaper and TV articles recently and other Boroughs seem to be actively involved with King’s College London and UCL who are both carrying out investigations and have monitoring stations.

The Council have announced (11 August) the setting up of a resident-led Air Quality Commission. This will be chaired by our own Rosemary Pettit (former Chairman of the Hammersmith Society). For more details, visit the Council website here