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£220 million Clean Air Fund launched
The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs has launched a funding package of over £260 million, including a £220 million Clean Air Fund, to improve air quality in some of the most polluted areas of the UK.
The Clean Air Fund, which will seek to minimise the impact of local plans on individuals and businesses, will offer money for services including new park and ride services, freight consolidation centres, concessionary travel schemes and improvements to bus fleets.
Additionally, a further £40 million has been awarded to support local authorities take action to immediately improve air quality, including £11.7 million to the 28 local authorities with the biggest air quality challenges to develop air quality plans, £24.5 million to the same 28 local areas to support a range of measures to take action locally, £2.4 million for grass roots action and £1.65 million to support the 33 local authorities that have been asked to conduct targeted feasibility studies to identify measures that could bring forward compliance dates within the shortest possible time.
Among the range of local measures, the government has highlighted the benefits of installing electric charge point hubs in car parks; junction improvements; bus priority measures; building cycle routes; incentivising ultra-low emission taxis through licensing schemes and leasing electric vehicles; and traffic management and monitoring systems.
Environment Minister Thérèse Coffey said: “We have been clear that local leaders are best placed to develop innovative plans that rapidly meet the needs of their communities. Today’s funding demonstrates the government’s commitment to support the local momentum needed and continue to improve our air now and for future generations. Improving air quality is about more than just tackling emissions from transport, so later this year we will publish a comprehensive Clean Air Strategy. This will set out how we will address all forms of air pollution, delivering cleaner air for the whole country.”
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