Clean Air Day 2019 Oxford: School pupils and MP join campaign

At 10am, 50 Windmill Primary pupils will be in Bonn Square promoting a ‘clean air’ message using banners and posters they have designed.

Their campaign will tie in with ‘anti-idling’ initiatives backed by Oxford Friends of the Earth (FoE) and local councils in Oxford, South Oxfordshire and the Vale of White Horse.

Then, from 11am to 2pm, Low Carbon West Oxford will set up a car in Bonn Square linked to a 'theatre-style smoke machine'. The car will fill with smoke to 'draw the public's attention to how car drivers are often breathing higher levels of pollution than the air outside'.

Later, FoE will host a County Hall workshop to launch 'Oxfordshire Schools Clean Air Network'.

The 4.30pm to 6pm event will include talks from local schools addressing action on pollution and active travel.

Meanwhile, the Town Hall talk on air pollution will be addressed by Oxford East MP Anneliese Dodds from 7.30pm.

‘How do we clean up Britain’s air’ sees Ms Dodds joined by various speakers at the free (but ticketed) talk, chaired by UK100 Director Polly Billington.

Oxford City Councillor Tom Hayes, the Cabinet Member for a Zero Carbon Oxford; Southampton City Council leader Christopher Hammond; and Fiona Tavner, from Oxford Friends of the Earth; will also appear.

Chris Church, Campaigns Officer for Oxford FoE, said: “It is good to see so many people involved in this, but is alarming that in 2019 we are still facing such serious air pollution problems.

"This affects the city centre, the edges of the city and other towns across the county. Our councils and transport planners need to accept that limiting air pollution should be a key part of any new strategy such as the Transport Plan now under discussion."