Hounslow Council and its partners are working hard on an Air Quality Action Plan for our borough. Give us your views on air pollution in Hounslow and attend our air quality workshop (details below).
Published: Monday, 13th March 2023
Take action over Hounslow’s air quality
Poor Air Quality in Hounslow is something that affects every Hounslow resident.
That’s why we need your help to make the air in Hounslow cleaner and safer for everyone.
Nationally, air pollution is responsible for up to 36,000 premature deaths in the UK each year.
Nearly 10,000 of these deaths are in London.
The health conditions linked with poor air quality include illnesses such as asthma, heart disease and cancer. And while everyone’s health is at risk from poor air quality, often it is the most vulnerable members of the community, such as children, older people, pregnant women and people with underlying long-tern health conditions, that are most affected.
Hounslow Council and its partners are committed to doing everything they can to reduce air pollution in our borough.
As part of the Council’s Clean Air for All plan, we have committed £1.3m to increase air quality monitoring across the borough and introducing measures to reduce air pollution.
If we are to have an impact on air quality in our borough, then everyone has a role to play.
There are simple steps that everyone can take to help keep the air above Hounslow clean. These include using the car less for short journeys and opting instead for healthier alternatives like cycling or walking.
When we’re in the car, we can turn the engine off when we’re parked up to cut down on the pollution we are creating. And we can avoid having open fires or burning garden waste or rubbish at home.
As part of the ongoing campaign to clear the air in Hounslow, the Council is asking residents to give their views on pollution, its causes and how we can all work to reduce it.
Hounslow’s clean air team has put together are short online survey for people to complete. The information will give the Council valuable insight into how we can all work together to cut air pollution.
Everyone who completes the survey will be placed into a draw and will be in with a chance of winning a £50 shopping voucher.
On Thursday, 16 March, the Council will be holding an Air Quality Action Plan workshop for residents to attend. The workshop will look at a range of issues, including how we can all raise awareness about air quality issues and how we can promote healthier travel options in our borough. The findings will be used to shape the new Hounslow Air Quality Action Plan.
The event will take place at Hounslow House from 5pm until 7.30pm.
Hounslow Council works with a range of organisations on clean air issues in the borough, including local health services and community groups.
The Hounslow Borough Respiratory Support Group (HBRSG) is supporting the clean air campaign. The group works on behalf of people in our borough with long-term respiratory conditions.
HBRSG Chair of Trustees Roger Smith said: “There is a clear link between air pollution and respiratory conditions such as asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and others.
“It is important to remember that the quality of the air in our borough has a real impact on the quality of lives of people living with these conditions.
“Poor air quality can make the symptoms of these conditions worse and it can make it difficult for people with these conditions to leave their homes on some days.
“We welcome any initiative to raise awareness about air quality in our borough and are keen to work with all the partners to the air in our borough is clean and safe for everyone.”
Hounslow Council’s Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Climate, Environment and Transport, Cllr Katherine Dunne, said: “We all need to work together to improve the air quality in Hounslow. The more we do, the better the outcomes will be for our health, our children’s health and the health of future generations.
“Your views on air pollution are extremely important. They will help us to better understand how people feel about this issue and will give us the information we need to help shape our future course of action over air quality.
“Please take a few minutes to complete our survey and come along to our workshop. Your actions could have a positive impact on health in our borough.”
