How the Government could take a city council to court over its 'astonishing' failure to cut air pollution

  • Bristol City Council could be taken to court over failure to cut air pollution
  • The council failed to supply a plan on how it will reduce toxic fumes from cars
  • Bristol and other cities with the worst pollution levels outside London were ordered to clean up their air and submit plans by September 2018

Bristol could be taken to court by the Government for an ‘astonishing’ failure to cut air pollution.

The legal threat was issued to the city’s council for failing to supply a plan on how it will reduce toxic fumes from vehicles.

Bristol and other cities with the worst pollution levels outside London were ordered to clean up their air and submit plans by September 2018.

Bristol could be taken to court by the Government for an ¿astonishing¿ failure to cut air pollution. The legal threat was issued to the city¿s council for failing to supply a plan on how it will reduce toxic fumes from vehicles [File photo]

Bristol could be taken to court by the Government for an ‘astonishing’ failure to cut air pollution. The legal threat was issued to the city’s council for failing to supply a plan on how it will reduce toxic fumes from vehicles [File photo]

Possible measures include charging vehicles to enter city centre ‘clean air zones’.

But Bristol City Council has still not submitted its plans and could be taken to court.

In a letter to mayor Marvin Rees, environment minister Therese Coffey wrote: ‘I am absolutely astonished at your delay in improving air quality for the people of Bristol as quickly as possible.

‘I should like to make clear that any delay or non-compliance with these deadlines will result in my being forced to consider legal action against Bristol City Council which may include issuing proceedings without further notice.’

Nottingham, Derby, Leeds, Southampton and Birmingham were also ordered to submit plans.

Bristol City Council said: ‘We are fully committed to tackling air quality in Bristol.

‘We are carrying out technical modelling work to explore fully all possible options.’

Bristol and other cities with the worst pollution levels outside London, above, were ordered to clean up their air and submit plans by September 2018. But Bristol City Council has still not submitted its plans and could be taken to court [File photo]

Bristol and other cities with the worst pollution levels outside London, above, were ordered to clean up their air and submit plans by September 2018. But Bristol City Council has still not submitted its plans and could be taken to court [File photo]

The comments below have not been moderated.

The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.

We are no longer accepting comments on this article.