Stop the idling motors

• AFTER the recent court verdict, concluding that the death of nine-year-old Ella Kissi-Debrah in 2013 was caused by toxic diesel fumes, you might have thought that Camden would start taking the dangers of air pollution more seriously and bring in measures that could help protect the health of its children where it can.

But not so. Every day of the working week outside of my home, drivers of people-carriers who are responsible for picking up and dropping off disabled children both in the morning and afternoon, continue to leave the engines of their parked vehicles running while they wait for passengers; and despite my many phone calls and emails regarding this nothing has changed.

Apart from contributing to air pollution in general, these idling vehicles that are pumping out deadly poisonous fumes have a particularly devastating effect on the developing lungs of the young and vulnerable children, who helplessly have to rely on those who transport them to protect their health.

Camden Council has been given a mandate and funds to help clean up air pollution in the borough which has a detrimental effect on the health of all of us, killing around 8,000 Londoners a year – and rising.

Camden can start taking this issue just as seriously as other, neighbouring boroughs have done, by first putting a stop to all their parked vehicles idling, as positive actions such as this will help prevent any further deaths of children like nine-year-old Ella.

MIKE GEORGE
Queen’s Crescent, NW5