Monday 4 January 2010

Manston and asthma in Thanet

Friday’s Gazette details the high levels of nitrogen dioxide around St Lawrence High Street (under the landing flightpath) requiring an Air Quality Management Area and the resulting asthma and lung problems.

18 months to prepare the plan – and then however long to implement it and then report it on it of course means lots more continued asthma and lung problems and early deaths.

What has happened to the air monitoring at Manston? Gone the way of Brian White’s noise-monitoring-by-not-noise-monitoring?

It’s clear the politicians and civil servants have quietly agreed not to bother with monitoring while the airport expanded – and the death rate climbed.

Here’s a very sensible quote though from Cllr Liz Green:

“I find this extremely worrying and I am quite shocked. It is known that residents living near busy roads are particularly affected by this pollution. Part of my concern is that long-term exposure can decrease lung function and increase the risk of respiratory symptoms, acute bronchitis and coughs particularly in children. Although it is recognised that road traffic is likely to be the cause I would like an investigation into whether the airport and low-flying planes could be contributory. This is a busy road but there are other busy roads in Ramsgate. What makes this road different? Could it be the proximity to the airport”.

Indeed.

St Lawrence would certainly get the highest dosage of aviation fuel: planes throttling back to land and exhaust fumes. Although the fumes would of course drift over all Thanet.

And still the planes fly at low-level over the towns and onto the water supply.

The most polluted water in South East England and the highest cancer rates in Kent.

With a 17 year health gap between Thanet and the rest of Kent.

What have the Gang of Four of Messrs Latchford, Samuel, Ezekiel and White been doing and when did they agree to remove noise and air monitors from an airport slated for expansion?

And only silence now from our MP’s.

It seems noise and air monitoring isn’t a subject for them or Parliament.

What must be happening with other airports and noise and air monitoring in Kent? And at Herne Bay?

Clearly we shouldn’t be told.

And only silence on the cleanup at Thor.

Failed. Failed. Failed.

Time for Change.

1 comment:

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