§ Lord Molloyasked Her Majesty's Government:
What steps they are taking to reduce pollution from cars in town centres.
§ Viscount GoschenThe Government are determined that the transport sector will play its part in reducing air pollution. As a result of improvements to vehicle standards and measures such as the recent initiative on enforcement, launched by the Secretary of State for Transport, we are now set to see a marked decline in pollutants that will extend well into the next decade.
Local authorities also have an important role to play in reducing the environmental impacts of transport. Planning Policy Guidance Note 13 (PPG 13) and the department's "package approach" to funding of capital projects illustrate the way the Government are seeking to help local authorities perform that role. These measures aim to help local authorities to develop coherent approaches to transport and land use planning which look beyond road based options, with a view to giving people a choice of modes and of reducing the need to travel.