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Essential reading

Seeing through the fog: Air pollution facts

By

Campaign aim

Toxic air in Bristol is linked to 300 deaths a year. It’s bad for our health, bad for local ecosystems and it hits inner-city neighbourhoods hardest. The council are currently working on their much-delayed Clean Air Plan, due at the end of 2019.

This Bristol Cable campaign is pushing for significant action on air pollution from the council, and sharing the stories Bristolians need to hold the council to account. Tune in for the facts, latest developments, ideas for solutions and stories of the citizens already fighting for fair air.

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Fight For Fair Air

Bristol’s Clean Air Zone could be delayed again due to ‘national bus lanes issue’

The scheme, which is eagerly anticipated by some and disliked by others, was meant to launch last October.

Alex Seabrook
Alex Seabrook (Local Democracy Reporter)

Reports

Bristol Clean Air Zone under fire as delays mean exemptions only lasting three months

The council has asked central government for an extension to the exemption period, amid residents' concerns about upcoming daily charges.

Billy Stockwell
Billy Stockwell

Features

Concerns remain about Bristol’s Clean Air Zone, six months before launch

Criticisms of the Clean Air Zone include not enough support for businesses and legal pollution limits being too high.

Marta Campa

Reports

Bristol was one of five areas with illegal air pollution in 2020

The city’s Clean Air Zone is finally coming into force next summer after multiple delays. Campaigners say it can’t come soon enough.

Matty Edwards
Matty Edwards

Fight For Fair Air

Cutting Bristol’s air pollution could help citizens’ mental as well as physical health

Evidence increasingly suggests that traffic pollutants can adversely affect the brain, impact cognitive function, and increase the risk of mental health problems. Bristol’s Clean Air Zone cannot come too soon.

Joanne Newbury
Joanne Newbury

Reports

Bristol Clean Air Zone approved for summer 2022, nearly a year later than planned

Support for greener transport and exemptions have finally been announced, four years after the government ordered Bristol to tackle illegal levels of air pollution

Amanda Cameron (Local Democracy Reporter)

Features

Greens and Labour are close in Windmill Hill, where climate, air pollution and housing are key concerns for locals

It’s likely to be a tight fight in Windmill Hill again, after Labour beat the Greens by just a few hundred votes last election.

Hannah Vickers
Hannah Vickers

Features

Will Bristol’s new clean air zone influence city centre voters at the polls?

Central ward was a close race between Labour and the Greens in 2016, with a low turnout and just seven votes in it.

Matty Edwards Priyanka Raval
Matty Edwards and Priyanka Raval

Local Elections 2021

‘The new Bristol and WECA mayors will need to move fast to clean up Bristol’s air’

The need for steps to be taken on our dangerously polluted air is clear, but change is slow to come, writes clean air campaigner Katrina Billings.

Katrina Billings

Bristol and the Climate Crisis

Bristol will be charging drivers to tackle air pollution, but other changes are on the way too

Bristol's Clean Air Zone has finally been decided. We spoke to cabinet member for transport, Kye Dudd, speaks about air pollution, plans for Low Traffic Neighbourhoods, and doubling down on measures brought in at the start of the pandemic.

Matty Edwards
Matty Edwards and Amanda Cameron (Local Democracy Reporter)

Fight For Fair Air

Air pollution close to pre-lockdown levels as battle for solutions hots up

The mayor and council have changed their mind, and want to reduce air pollution without charging drivers, but critics are calling time on yet more delays.

Matty Edwards
Matty Edwards

Fight For Fair Air

‘Bigger and bolder’ clean air plans could reduce Bristol pollution to legal levels by 2022

Mayor Marvin Rees says that the coronavirus pandemic has made alternative plans possible for Bristol.

Amanda Cameron (Local Democracy Reporter)

Fight For Fair Air

Watch: Lessons from lockdown – how can Bristol battle air pollution?

As traffic on Bristol’s streets returns to normal following lockdown, air pollution levels have returned to illegal levels. What can we do about it?

Patch de Salis

Fight For Fair Air

Burning waste – green energy or just hot air?

A new waste incinerator is being built in Avonmouth, but critics say the industry is polluting and contradicts climate aims 

Lorna Stephenson
Lorna Stephenson

Reports

Bristol Council votes to ban diesel cars from city centre

All privately owned diesel vehicles will be banned from the city centre between 7am and 3pm from March 2021.

Amanda Cameron (Local Democracy Reporter)

Fight For Fair Air

After delays, council releases plan to clean up toxic air

A thousand plus pages of documents have received mixed reactions and raised uncertainties as to whether it will be implementable

Lorna Stephenson
Lorna Stephenson

Fight For Fair Air

‘If the water was killing hundreds of people every year, there would be an outcry’

Air pollution scientist Dr Gary Fuller on congestion charging, changing the conversation, and how we can protect ourselves.

Lorna Stephenson
Lorna Stephenson

Fight For Fair Air

Government piles pressure on mayor over dirty air

A Clean Air Zone that includes charging private cars must be considered, said Therese Coffey MP.

Lorna Stephenson
Lorna Stephenson

Fight For Fair Air

Lawyers are threatening action over council’s “seriously flawed” clean air plans

Environmental lawyers say timescales to tackle illegal pollution are unacceptable

Lorna Stephenson
Lorna Stephenson

Fight For Fair Air

Farming’s devastating impact on urban air pollution

Ammonia – one of the major sources of pollution is unregulated and unmonitored by the government.

Lorna Stephenson
Lorna Stephenson

Reports

Clean Air Plan: two options, no answers

Council finally outlines two clean air plan proposals, but fails to produce analysis to back up its chosen options.

Lorna Stephenson
Lorna Stephenson

Fight For Fair Air

Controversial gas power station refused at development committee

Conrad Energy may now appeal the decision for the hugely unpopular plans for St Philip’s Marsh gas power plant.

Lorna Stephenson
Lorna Stephenson

Fight For Fair Air

Planning officers recommend APPROVAL of St Philip’s Marsh gas plant

Local campaigners are dismayed that power generation could happen 80m from a nursery school.

Lorna Stephenson
Lorna Stephenson

Features

Bristol doctors on air pollution: ‘The council isn’t taking things seriously enough’

Medical professionals have a role to play as advocates for public health, but “system change” is necessary, says MedAct Bristol.

Alex Diggins

Opinion

Opinion: People of colour need to be included in Bristol’s environmental movement

Jasmine Ketibuah-Foley argues that it’s not that Black people aren’t green – it’s that the green movement is too white.

Jasmine Ketibuah-Foley

Cable Community News

Why Bristol needs to fight for fair air

The Bristol Cable is launching a campaign calling for drastic action on Bristol's deadly air pollution. Here's why.

Lorna Stephenson
Lorna Stephenson

Edition 19

Changing gear: what next for cycling in Bristol?

To get us out of cars and reduce air pollution, Bristol needs to radically overhaul its cycle network. Other cities are leading the way.

Lorna Stephenson
Lorna Stephenson

Fight For Fair Air

Seeing through the fog: Air pollution facts

Key facts and figures on what’s in our air, where it comes from, and why we should worry.

Lorna Stephenson
Lorna Stephenson

Fight For Fair Air

Opinion: Bristol’s leadership is failing to stop the city choking

Marvin Rees’ announcement this week that there is a ‘timeline’ for producing a Clean Air Plan is too little, too late.

Seth Piper

Reports

Council admits Clean Air Plan won’t come into effect until 2020 earliest

As cities across the UK begin to tackle their toxic air, Bristol confirms extended delay to Clean Air Plan.

Lorna Stephenson
Lorna Stephenson

Fight For Fair Air

Air pollution action debated in Council’s budget-setting session

Delay in clean air action is defended by Labour despite criticisms, opposition parties put forward alternative proposals.

Lorna Stephenson
Lorna Stephenson

Reports

Clean air plan deadline set to be missed

After harsh criticism from government for dragging its feet, the council was ordered to provide its plan to tackle air pollution by 21 February.

Lorna Stephenson
Lorna Stephenson

Bristol and Beyond

Opinion: We need our stoves

For someone living in a boat or van during the winter, having a stove can be a matter of life and death, argues boater Mike Doherty.

Mike Doherty

Opinion

Opinion: Wood burning stoves are deadly, not trendy

Stuart Phelps argues that “poverty is the only excuse for burning wood in the city".

Stuart Phelps

Edition 18

How the air we breathe is a matter of equality

In Bristol’s inner city areas, residents produce less air pollution than wealthier suburbs - but suffer the worst effects.

Alex Diggins
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