Boris Johnson row with ministers over pollution ‘was covered up’

Smog bound: London faces a £300 million fine for exceeding pollution limits

A row between Boris Johnson and ministers over spiralling air pollution in London is being covered up, campaigners claim.

Former air quality minister Lord Hunt met the Mayor in January, in a bid to head off a £300 million fine from the European Union after the capital exceeded airborne pollution limits.

The Government's plans to avoid the penalty were thrown into disarray by the Mayor's decision to scrap the western Congestion Charge zone next year and drop phase three of the capital's Low Emission Zone.

Lord Hunt was thought to be hoping to get a commitment of low emission replacements for these schemes, but the Mayor may have refused.

Simon Birkett, of the Campaign for Clean Air in London, said the meetings had remained cloaked in secrecy despite an eight-month battle to uncover the truth.

His Freedom of Information request to view minutes and correspondence covering the meeting was rejected.

He told the Standard: "If there is a major row between the Mayor and the Government which means that the health of the public will not be protected, then the people of London have a right to know."

London has been in breach of EU legal standards for dangerous airborne particles since 2005. The campaign says most of the pollution is caused by diesel fumes.

The European Commission has begun legal proceedings against the UK and is expected to escalate its action unless Britain produces a new plan to combat air pollution in London. This could cost £300 million.

The Government applied for an exemption to avert the fines until 2011, giving more time to tackle soaring pollution. But then Mr Johnson scrapped the two zones.

The Government is thought to have told him it
expected him to replace the two schemes with something equally effective, or better.

Mr Birkett said: "The Government is clearly afraid that whatever is contained in correspondence and minutes detailing discussions with the Mayor could torpedo their hopes of getting an extension from the EC.

"Either Mr Johnson has blown the Government a raspberry and is refusing to co-operate, or the Government has threatened him with legal action. London should be told."

The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs has told Mr Birkett there was a "strong and countervailing public interest in preserving private space for discussion and consideration of issues within government".

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