European Commission issues air quality warning to UK

The UK may have to speed up its adoption of clean transport following a warning from the European Commission regarding London's air quality.

Britain's government has been told that if it fails to meet its targets on tackling air pollution in the capital, it could be required to pay hundreds of millions of pounds in fines.

Janez Potocnik, Europe's environment commissioner, said air pollution can reduce a person's life expectancy by about eight months on average.

He stated that this could go up to more than two years in those areas which are most heavily polluted.

A spokesman for the London Mayor Boris Johnson noted that an air quality strategy has recently been published.

He said authorities in the city are confident that this will help to address the concerns raised by the European Commission.

The final version of the Mayor's air quality strategy will be published later this year, after a public consultation ends in July.