The Royal Borough's Air Quality Action Plan 2017 to 2021 details a series of ambitious but realistic policies to manage and reduce the Royal Borough of Greenwich's impact on air quality.

Main policies of the strategy

Key policies include:

• continued expansion of electric vehicle charging points across the borough further to the 25 points already installed
• the trialling of a ground-breaking fully electric refuse vehicle by December 2017
• expansion of the ever-popular car-free days and pedestrian days in Greenwich Town Centre and across the Royal Borough
• a range of measures to ensure that construction pollution is scrutinised and minimised
• investigating a revolutionary water source heat pump to power a district heating network in Greenwich. It will replace existing boilers that add nitrogen dioxide (NO2) to the local environment, while the district heat network on Greenwich Peninsula ensures that considerably less NO2 is produced for new developments
• a commitment to eleven or more air quality monitoring stations - more than any other local authority in London.

Working on reducing emissions is a key priority for the council, especially addressing the current high levels of nitrogen dioxide air pollution along major roads.

Read the 2017 to 2021 Air Quality Action Plan in full

Greener Greenwich Strategy

The Air Quality Action Plan sits alongside the Royal Borough's Greener Greenwich Strategy launched in 2016. The Greener Greenwich Strategy details additional actions the council is taking to tackle climate change including a number of innovative local projects such as the introduction of the pioneering Low Emission Neighbourhood in west Greenwich last year.

Read the Royal Borough of Greenwich's Greener Greenwich Strategy

'Clear vision for a cleaner healthier environment'

Councillor Danny Thorpe, Deputy Leader of the Royal Borough of Greenwich and Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Sustainability, said: "I am delighted to be launching the Royal Borough's Air Quality Action Plan on National Clean Air Day. This landmark plan sets a clear vision for a cleaner and healthier environment for the benefit of this generation and the next. It also details some major policy initiatives to deliver on our unwavering commitment to tackle air pollution and promote a cleaner and healthier environment for all of our residents."