Monday, August 4, 2014

What would you do to stop 4,267 people dying in London?

From a government report calculating the pollution impact of 'fine particles' ( the kind emitted from diesel engines )



"It is estimated that fine particles have an impact on mortality equivalent to 4,267 deaths
in London
in 2008, within a range of 756 to 7,965. A permanent reduction in PM
2.5
concentrations of 1μg/m3
would gain 400,000 years of life for the current population
(2008) in London and a further 200,000 years for those born during that period,
followed for the lifetime of the current population. For the current population, this is
equivalent to an average 3 weeks per member of the 2008 population, with the
expected gains differing by age.
" (
Dr Brian G Miller)



A switch to elevated cycle lanes would do a huge amount about this and a number of other problems. Something which an uptake of google driverless car's wouldn't help with. 



Possibly Dr Millier is just a lone loon perhaps ?  - no this evidence is used by this 

http://www.whpara.org.uk/resources/PDFs/Air-Quality/Draft-Islington-Air-Quality-Strategy-2013-2016.pdf To justify the introduction of a no idling law in Islington London as mentioned here http://www.lbc.co.uk/islington-council-unveils-plans-to-fine-idle-diesel-drivers--94853



The net predicted result of all this is an increase in CO2 as people switch from Nitrogen Dioxide diesel. 



So what would these 4267 lives be worth to you? How much would you spend ? 

The actual answer is anything over a quid is pushing it.   According to cycling Weekly we spend about about £1 per year head of population.  What would happen if we got the price of an expensive coffee from everyone to improve cycle lanes ( elevated or other wise)? 












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