The way we travel is making us a less healthy nation. Coronary heart disease is the biggest killer of adults in this country. Part of the blame is that we drive too much when we could walk or cycle.
Road traffic is a major contributor to air pollution.
Up to 24,000 vulnerable people are estimated to die prematurely each year, and similar numbers are admitted to hospital, because of exposure to air pollution, much of which is due to road traffic 3 . Tighter standards and advances in vehicle design have helped to reduce those emissions which cause the greatest concern but in the longer term these gains could be at risk if traffic growth continues unchecked. We must do everything we can to cut this loss of life by improving air quality, including further controls on vehicle emissions which have brought about significant reductions in emissions without imposing unreasonable burdens on car users or on business. Motorists themselves and their passengers are at most risk from exhaust fumes. Recent studies 5 have shown that cars offer little or no protection against the pollutants generated by traffic.