Sutton school pupils joined council leaders on clean air day to launch a new action planning for reducing pollution in the borough.

The air quality action plans sets out the Council's vision for delivering air quality improvements from 2019 to 2023, focusing on an increase in availability of public transport and encouraging 'clean growth' in business.

Cllr Manuel Abellan Chair, Environment & Neighbourhoods Committee chair, and Director of Public Health, Dr Imran Choudhury, attended Robin Hood Junior School on Friday, the location of a 'living wall,' planted recently along its boundary with the backing of the Mayor's air quality fund.

Cllr Manuel Abellan Chair said: “Sutton is committed to improving air quality within its borough and has ambitions to become the greenest borough in London.

"Our revised Air Quality Action Plan updates and replaces the previous version that was published in 2013.

"Since this time we have implemented a number of measures to improve the borough’s air quality, for example, through controlling emissions associated with new developments, delivering schemes that improve the pedestrian and cycling environment and working with businesses to help them reduce their fuel consumption.

"Although we meet most of the national targets, we should still strive for better.

"We have, therefore, set tougher targets so that we continue to push ourselves to improve.”

The living wall was part of wider project to improve air quality in Sutton Town Centre, including improvements to footways and cycle lanes leading into the High Street and the launch of the folding bike hire scheme at Sutton station.

The air quality action plan looks to build on these developments by improving public transport, campaigning to raise awareness, managing the impacts of construction and implementing a new parking strategy.

You can read the plan in full here:

https://www.sutton.gov.uk/downloads/file/2349/air_quality_action_plan