Energy: Emissions

House of Lords written question – answered at on 17 May 2011.

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Photo of Lord Berkeley Lord Berkeley Labour

To ask Her Majesty's Government, following the comments in the Olympic Delivery Authority's Strategic Environmental Assessment of the Olympic Transport Plan that the daily limits for particulate emission PM10 would be breached during the Olympic Games, what action they are taking to avoid fines of up to £175 million by the International Olympic Committee.

Photo of Earl Attlee Earl Attlee Lords Spokesperson (Department for Transport), Lord in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)

The Government are committed to working towards EU air quality standards. While it is for the Mayor of London to decide what local transport policies are appropriate in London, the Department for Transport has recently made an extra £5 million available to help tackle some of London's worst pollution hotspots.

Our ambition is for a public transport Games with 100 per cent of spectators travelling to London venues by public transport, cycling or on foot (with a very limited exception for disabled spectators some of whom may be able to use available Blue Badge parking). To help achieve this, ticketed spectators for London events will receive a Games travelcard for London's public transport system on that day. There will be no private car parking for spectators at any venue, except for some Blue Badge parking.

Transport for London are already working hard with businesses to consider different ways of working and travelling, including home and flexible working, travelling at different times or walking and cycling more. These and other measures should help reduce traffic levels and vehicle emissions, minimising the risk of exceeding air quality levels across London. Further modelling work is taking place to determine whether additional measures are required.

Safe and healthy competition conditions for athletes are a top priority for everyone involved. As with any Games, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) looks to the Government, the Mayor of London, the Olympic Delivery Authority, other public authorities and the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) to work in partnership to ensure this is the case at London 2012.

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