Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
"Air pollution killed my daughter..."
Further to my previous posting about air pollution being implicated in the death of a child in South London being, Ella's mother, Rosamund Kissi-Debrah, writes in the Guardian about her fight for answers.
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Tags for Forum Posts: air pollution
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by John McMullan on
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The pollution on Monday was literally breathtaking. The mayor is trying to jump on black cabs for idling, which is illegal and they are pushing back. The fact that a vehicle's exhaust is right at the back when it would be more efficient to have it closer to the driver tells you all you need to know about how poisonous internal combustion engines are.
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Permalink Reply by andy h on
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It's not the engine, it's the fuel.
splitting hairs - i know, but true none the less.
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Permalink Reply by Sarah on
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Bit of both. It's possible to burn diesel very cleanly depending on driver behaviour and engine tuning.
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Yesterday I walked past the cab rank at St Pancras and someone had chalked a few games of tic tac toe on the traffic island. I was horrified to think of children playing with their heads right at exhaust level next to a line of idling cabs.... And almost none of them switch their engines off, I walk past nearly every day.
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Last year, I had some appointments at UCH and because of timings it was only feasible to drive and park in Euston Station's underground car park. The only way out of the car park is via the taxi rank, which is essentially a large concrete box full of taxi drivers running their engines to keep the heating on (it was winter). It felt revolting to have to walk through, breathing in concentrated exhaust fumes, especially since I was dashing past lots of signage saying 'switch off your engines'. The first time I spoke to a member of station staff, who clearly didn't give a crap. No point in rules if no-one's enforcing.
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Permalink Reply by Alice Mezzo on
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I wish something would be done about the pollution in our area but council seem never to prioritise this problem. One of the worst things about Harringay for me.
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Permalink Reply by Bob Ruggles on
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Big Joke is that Haringey Schools All have Parking restrictions During School Times. Yet aware that they are not Enforced
I live meters from Noel Park School. Where many even double Park. And keep engines running Summer for Air condition / Winter for Heat
Seen TV Report where some Schools have put in Plant pots with plants that Counter passing Traffic Fumes. Not in Haringey, that I am aware of .
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There are definitely enforcement officers around Cheatnuts primary, I see them fairly often during pick up & drop off. There are also various air pollution monitoring devices around the borough, which will have been put in place by various people - the local authority probably have some, TFL might, I got a basic one for our community group which I put up on our road.
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Permalink Reply by Clive Carter on
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AS if there were not sufficient evidence of the chronic lack of leadership on the environment—and on air pollution in particular—Haringey Council are in 2025 inviting residents to come up with some ideas as to how to tackle it.
Haringey residents invited to have say on how to tackle air pollution
It is as though the main source of air pollution were a mystery for the highly paid, expert officers at Haringey Council. Perhaps most depressing of all, this is the subject of yet another action plan.
Haringey Council action plans normally signify a (real) problem: about which the council is de facto, committed to do nothing practical or meaningful, indefinitely
This time, the action plan handwringing ;may last until the end of this decade. Residents are treated to the full panoply of municipal inaction as the subject is kicked into the long grass. Key features:
- five years
- action plan
- consultation
- draft strategy
- drop in centres
Where is leadership?
Footnote: the council declared a climate emergency six years ago (March 2019).
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Permalink Reply by Michael Anderson
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They can’t win can they? If they just went ahead with pollution reducing measures people would complain that they weren’t consulted. If they ask people what their priorities are they are accused of lack of leadership. Tacking pollution is not something any local authority can do alone. Reducing emissions means that people have to take action as well as having it measures legislated. Unless people own the plan it will be done to them rather than with them.
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I less want to see the council "win" than I want to see residents win.
This council's sclerosis has been going on for years and it's environment record compares poorly with neighbouring authorities.
A recent example of the lack of direction is a small advance on one front, alongside a small retreat on another front. This kind of tinkering has gone on, and likely will go on, indefinitely with a strong preference for endless handwringing.
The lack of leadership
One good example of the background to the current lack of leadership, was a brief visit to a meeting in the Green Room in 2019.
The meeting was hosted by Haringey Living Streets and chaired by then Cabinet Member Kirsten Hearn who, six months earlier, had co-sponsored the Climate Emergency Motion, that was adopted unanimously.
Picture credit: Haringey living Streets
Part way through the meeting, in strode another Cabinet Member who is now leader. She did not sit down but—before walking out—we learnt that her views on environment were largely dismissive, if not hostile; it was a niche issue; of little interest to her people and of appeal largely to a narrow demographic.
Those who attended will remember this. In the photo, I am on the extreme right. Green issues had nothing to do with (the preferred focus on) identity politics. The remarks were comparable to the current views of the Reform Party.
Tackling global pollution is not something that local authorities can do, but council can tackle it at the roadside level, where emissions are highest (and property values, lowest). The reason why other Boroughs are ahead is due to the presence of leadership. This is the political background. N.B. Jon Burke in Hackney
Indeed, people have to take action themselves. However years—if not decades—of cajoling, have shown that in large part, this is wishful thinking if not failed hope of voluntary behaviour. People were told for decades that smoking was harmful to health, but the rates of smoking only began to fall after there was compulsion, in terms of bans. In my view, the attachment to car-use and ownership is comparable to nicotine addiction.
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