Pressure is mounting on the UK government to take more stringent action on air quality, including deploying charging clean air zones nationwide, with the news that it will face a High Court hearing over its “persistent failure to deal with air pollution”.

ClientEarth is calling for a national network of charging clean air zones.

Although the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) published revised air quality plans in July following a court order, environmental lawyers at ClientEarth are proceeding with a third round of legal action to address claimed holes in those plans.

Now Mr Justice Nicklin has ordered a High Court hearing in the latest case, which will be heard in the High Court before 23 February 2018.

The grounds in ClientEarth’s case include that the plan does not require any action in 45 local authorities in England and does not require any action by Wales.

ClientEarth CEO James Thornton said: “The solutions to this problem are obvious. We need a national network of clean air zones to keep the dirtiest vehicles out of the most polluted towns and cities alongside action to help people switch to cleaner transport. The Government must finally show leadership and commit to taking action.”

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