Dear Ms Howard,I write further to your e-mail of the 21 July to Dr John Freeman, and our Chief Executive.I am sorry to learn of your recent hospital admission and subsequent investigations, and I hope that you are now feeling much better.As a Council we do not accept that the current levels of pollution should be allowed to continue. Action is being taken by both the Council and other regulators against companies who have failed to comply with their environmental permits. We use our air quality monitoring data to target this action, and to engage with the other regulators who have responsibilities. The Council’s monitoring stations confirm, as you suspected, that dust on the road caused at least some of the increased pollution measured over the weekend of 19 and 20 July. We are meeting urgently with the companies responsible to require effective measures to be put in place to prevent the soiling of the road and to clean up what has already been deposited on the road surface.In relation to the monitoring on the 13 June, that the level recorded was 7 (High), this was in fact the predicted level which we use to help advise the public of associated risk factors. The actual level (a midnight to midnight average calculated the next day) was 4 (Moderate). In stating this I do not wish to diminish the importance of the predictive indictors which we use to help advise/alert the public to risk.Please be assured that the Council is actively working with business and regulators to improve air-quality, not just in Horn Lane but across the borough. We recognise the established risk to health from environmental pollution, and we seek to improve air quality for the benefit of everyone by taking clear action against those who fail to apply practical control, and by working collaboratively with others to improve the overall air quality in Ealing.We regret that the necessary air quality improvements have not been achieved more quickly, however action is in progress as outlined above.If you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.Yours sincerely Mark WiltshireHead of Regulatory Services & Community Safety
Nikki Howard ● 4431d