Teddington's MP Munira Wilson this week handed in a petition signed by hundreds of local residents calling on the Government to tackle toxic air in London and beyond.

327 people signed the petition which Wilson gave to the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on Monday (17 May) as part of her campaign for safer legal limits on air pollution in the UK.

Last month, Wilson led a debate in Parliament on air pollution during which she urged the Government to take the problem seriously and bring the UK's legal limits on toxic air in line with World Health Organisation (WHO) recommendations.

She noted that in London, up to around 4,100 early deaths each year can be linked with air pollution as toxic air can increase the risk of people developing a lung condition and negatively affect those with pre-existing conditions such as asthma.

The Twickenham MP called for 'Ella's Law', named for 9 year old Ella Adoo-Kissi-Debrah who sadly died from an asthma attack in 2013; an inquest recently ruled that air pollution played a factor in her death, making her the first person in the UK to have air pollution listed as a cause of death.

'Ella's Law' would introduce legally binding limits on air pollution in the UK in line with WHO guidelines, which are stricter limits than what we have currently.

Wilson also spoke against the planned expansion of Heathrow Airport and called for more investment in eco-friendly forms of transport.

After handing in her petition, Wilson said: "Air pollution in London is another unfolding health crisis.

advertisement

"Poor air quality can contribute to a range of health issues, including diabetes, heart disease, lung problems and premature death.

"It's high time this Government took toxic air more seriously. Every day that we wait, air pollution impacts more people.

"The legal limits we have on air pollution are not up to scratch, yet this Conservative Government has been too slow to act.

"That's why my petition, backed by hundreds of local residents, is calling for safer limits to help protect our communities.

"Although I've now delivered this petition to the Government, this campaign is far from over. I will continue to represent the views of local residents in fighting for action on air pollution so that everyone has access to clean air."

More stories

Teddington MP to lead Parliamentary debate on air pollution in London