Liverpool City Council has become the latest local authority to break its legal responsibilities to bring air quality back within EU limits in as short a time as possible.
On 5th October 2018, the Mayor of Liverpool Cllr Joe Anderson received a ministerial direction from the government requiring Liverpool City Council to produce a Clean Air Plan (CAP).
The plan would explain how the council would achieve legal levels for nitrogen dioxide as quickly as possible and the legal deadline for the council to complete the plan was 31st October 2019 - in line with other authorities.
Transport Network can reveal not only has Liverpool failed to complete its plan but it is also nowhere near completion and is set to be at least a year late.
A spokeswoman told Transport Network: 'The Final Plan can only be produced once a Final Outline Business Case stating what measures the council will undertake to bring forward compliance in the shortest possible time has been submitted and approved and thereafter the Full Business Case approved, both by DEFRA.
'By the deadline of 31 October 2019 only a draft of the Outline Business Case had been completed and submitted to DEFRA for approval, and as such due to further work required the Final Business Case and Full Business Case will not be submitted and approved until Q4 2020 - which will in effect represent the Final Clean Air Plan.'
Liverpool City Region has some of the worst levels of air pollution in the North of England. Kings College London estimates that more than 1,000 deaths a year can be linked to it.
Bristol has also missed several deadlines on this issue and has watered down its plans. The council looks set to miss the latest deadline over its plans to tackle air pollution, due to ministerial indecision.
A Defra spokesperson said: 'We are considering the plan and subsequent information provided by Liverpool City Council. We continue to work closely with the council and will consider next steps in due course.'
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