UK Govt seeks delay in meeting tougher air quality standards

I'm a sceptic on EU issues generally but the new EU Directive on Air Quality, which came into force on June 11, is to be very strongly welcomed. Air pollution kills tens of thousands of people every year in the UK (equating to over 100 Bristolians per yr) and seriously reduces quality of life (see here and here for more). Shame on our government for seeking a delay in meeting the new, tougher regulations. How green is that?? Green MEP Jean Lambert is applying pressure and doing good work on this issue.

Get real time information on air pollution in your area of Bristol here. Todays air pollution index for both Wells Rd in Knowle and Bath Rd in Brislington, between which my house is sandwiched, was low by current standards, though it obviously fluctuates and I note that the British Lung Foundation report that even low levels of air pollution increase death risk (see here) !!

Full council wont debate Bristol primary school closures and mergers: what sort of local democracy is that!!

Its outrageous that the issue of reorganising Bristol's primary schools, to create fewer and bigger institutions, is not going before the full council ('We will fight plan to merge Bristol schools', Bristol Evening Post, 17 June). There is plenty of concern (its a really big issue to close some schools and merge others...) and so more discussion and more democratic involvement is fully justified. The debate has for me always been about the council and government putting money before the quality of educational experience - its now an issue of local democracy too.

Sign the online petition to save St George's Primary from closure here:
http://epetitions.bristol.gov.uk/petition.php?id=192

Visit the St Georges Primary School website: http://www.stgeorgeprimary.ik.org/p_Home.ikml

Sign the online petition to save Stockwood Green Primary here:

http://epetitions.bristol.gov.uk/petition.php?id=195

Visit the Stockwood Green Primary School website: http://www.stockwoodgreen.ik.org/