That’s the verdict of MPs on a Parliament select committee in a new report on air quality that says the Government “must act now to tackle this public health emergency”.

The report by the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee (EFRA) says that: “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 from cardiac, respiratory and other diseases linked to air pollution.”

It also calls into question Defra’s action on air quality and says there’s been an “absence of effective new measures” and “insufficient local powers”.

In particular, the report calls for clean air zones, which charge vehicles for access during certain times, across dozens of areas in addition to the five worst areas pinpointed by the Government. It also says the Government must also devolve to councils greater flexibility over how they can use powers over traffic movement and new development and provide them with adequate funding to take the best action for their communities, inside and outside the Zones.

And the report also says that government incentives are needed now to establish a self-sustaining low-emissions vehicle market, adding: “Funding for new refuelling infrastructure and grants to help buy cleaner vehicles is welcome but currently insufficient to get polluting diesel vehicles off the road quickly. The Government should develop proposals now so that at the next Budget it can introduce a scheme to give those scrapping diesel vehicles over about 10 years old a discount on buying an ultra-low emissions vehicle.”

Following the VW saga, the report adds that the Government “must ensure that vehicle company marketing claims are fully accurate and must work with the EU to establish tougher standards that cut vehicle emissions on the road”.

In response to the report, BVRLA chief executive Gerry Keaney said: “Air quality is a big issue for Britain’s urban areas, and we can understand why the Committee has called for councils to be given greater freedom to set up Clean Air Zones (CAZs). The vehicle rental and leasing industry is concerned that the UK could end up with a lack of consistency across CAZs – the Government needs to step up and deliver a framework for a nationwide network of low emission zones. It’s also important that motorists are not punished with retrospective measures for decisions that they have already made. Fleets operate vehicles on three, four and five-year contracts, and need time to prepare for any significant change. 

“Fleets need consistency, but a blanket ban of all diesel vehicles in city centres would be damaging to businesses – Defra must take a carrot-and-stick approach if it wants to drive the uptake of the least polluting vehicles, and bring the UK into compliance with EU air quality targets. The Committee rightfully recognises that Government incentives are needed to establish a self-sustaining low-emissions vehicle market. The BVRLA has repeatedly asked for in-life incentives that would benefit drivers of ultra-low emission vehicles, but the Government has failed to act.”

Elsewhere in the report, MPs said the Government must give councils greater powers to improve traffic movement. Keaney added: “We welcome this move. It’s important to design cities that encourage a smoother flow of traffic, and councils should be thinking about which road layouts minimise congestion and prevent stop-start motoring which increases NOx emissions.”

“Progress to improve air quality in cities is already being made, and the rental and leasing industry is leading the way, pioneering new integrated transport solutions such as car clubs, and investing in ultra-low emission vehicles. BVRLA members operate the newest, cleanest, most environmentally-friendly vehicles on UK roads, while their innovative range of new mobility services encourage motorists to adopt more sustainable transport habits.”

The RAC also commented on the report. Public affairs manager Nick Lyes said: “The RAC supports the principle of clean air zones as outlined by Defra last year. Those proposals provide local authorities with some flexibility through a tiered structure based on national guidelines.

“However, simply allowing local authorities to create their own zones, which could lead to motorists facing a hotchpotch of charging regimes across the country, would be a recipe for chaos. Decisions on how far to go within the tiered national structure should be taken locally, and authorities should give local residents and indeed businesses sufficient time to consider switching their more polluting vehicles to something cleaner. 

“Local authorities may also wish to consider trialling electronic signage to inform motorists of air pollution levels. Plans to replace or upgrade older, more polluting buses and taxis should also be fast-tracked.”