The
UK Government was found guilty of breaching EU nitrogen dioxide limits
in 16 different cities and regions, sparking a four-year battle in UK
and EU courts to bring standards into line.
People with heart conditions are vulnerable to air pollution as it
can make existing conditions worse and increase the risk of a heart attack. Recent BHF-funded research
from the University of Edinburgh, published last month, has also shown
exposure to air pollution increases the risk of hospitalisation or death
from stroke.
Estimates show the Government’s current plans to cut nitrogen
dioxide emissions would not meet legal limits in some areas until after
2030 – 20 years after the original 2010 targets were supposed to be met.
Last year, the European Court of Justice decreed the UK must comply with EU regulations in the shortest time possible.
In a final hearing today, Supreme Court judges were asked to echo
that ruling and order the UK Government to publish an action plan to
improve air quality in these regions.
The Supreme Court will make its final judgment in the next few months.
Mike Hobday, our Director of Policy, said: “For four years
vulnerable heart patients have been exposed to illegally high levels of
air pollution because the UK Government has failed to clean up the
nation’s dirty air.
“It’s vital the Supreme Court finally holds the Government to account
and orders them to act swiftly to ensure that the air we breathe is
safe and does not do any further undue harm to our hearts.”