British lawmakers have sought enhanced powers for all cities around the UK to launch congestion charge zones to tackle the "public health emergency" caused by air pollution.
In a report released by the Parliament's cross-party Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (EFRA) select committee today, the MPs warn that more needs to be done to avoid the nearly 50,000 early deaths every year in the UK due to poor air quality.
"The government must act now to tackle this public health emergency. Poor air quality is damaging the UK's environment and harming the nation's health: emissions have declined significantly over many decades, but not far enough to prevent the early deaths of 40-50,000 people each year," the report said.
Among some of the recommendations of the committee include plans to introduce a scrappage scheme for over 10-year-old diesel vehicles and an extension of London's congestion zone scheme to other cities.
Five other UK cities have already been designated for similar zones, which charge vehicles a fee to enter the centre of the city during peak periods, by 2020.
The cities ear-marked include Leeds, Birmingham, Nottingham, Derby and Southampton, which were all found to have the highest levels of nitrogen dioxide.
The congestion charge, in force in London since 2003, is designed to introduce "clean air zones" and discourage high-polluting vehicles, such as old diesel buses, taxis, coaches and lorries, from entering city centres.
The British capital already has plans for an "Ultra Low Emissions Zone" to take effect in 2020, details of which will be unveiled soon.
"Councils in the dozens of other English cities currently exceeding EU pollution limits must also be given the option of using such powers if their communities support action," said Efra committee chairman Neil Parish.
"Communities must be given legal powers to set controls that meet their own circumstances - for example, some might want to charge polluting vehicles to access zones at certain times of day or to target specific bus routes," he added.
