Air Quality in the 2024 Election

With air quality estimated to cost the NHS more than £1 billion a year by 2025, the position of each party on air quality has the potential to play a major role in an election at which the cost of living and public finances have been at the centre of the debate. Here we review the manifesto promises and policies of each of the five major (in England) parties and their position on air quality and its associated impacts.

Note: This is not a voting guide and is not intended as an endorsement or support of any party, rather a comparison of campaign and manifesto promises on a specific technical issue.

The Conservative Party’s “Back Drivers” initiative sees the proposed reversal of the ULEZ expansion and the requirement of Low Traffic Neighbourhoods and 20 mph zones to be subject to local referendum.

As for the Labour party, they have made promises to take action to meet environmental targets, including on air quality. They also propose to restore the 2030 ban on the sale of petrol and diesel cars.

Meanwhile, the Liberal Democrats approach to air quality centres on passing a new Clean Air Act based on World Health Organization Guidelines, with enforcement of this act becoming the responsibility of a newly formed Air Quality Agency. They also propose restoring the requirement for every new car and small van sold from 2030 to be zero-emission and include a selection of measures to make access to electric vehicles cheaper and easier.

Refrom UK seek to take things a step further than the Conservative Party by legislating to ban ULEZ, Clean Air Zones and Low Traffic Neighbourhoods entirely. They also propose to entirely remove any bans on the sale of petrol or diesel cars.

Finally the Green Party, who, in addition to the Liberal Democrats, also propose the formation of a new Clean Air Act with the same basis of WHO standards. They also commit to the end of sales of new petrol and diesel cars however by the more ambitious target of 2027 with an aim to remove their us entirely by 2035. Increases in subsidies for public transport and investment in cycle and footways are also included alongside a partial ban on internal flights.

With air quality set to be an ever more important issue, with public awareness growing rapidly, it is up to our next government to take an ambitious and proactive approach to ensure access to clean air for the next generation.