Dear friends
Welcome to the second Newsletter of Clean Air Bradford.
What is Clean Air Bradford?
Clean Air Bradford is a broad alliance of individuals, groups and organisations taking action to improve air quality in the Bradford district. As an informal coalition, it is open to all and supported by Baildon Friends of the Earth – one of the founding groups – who provide any formal governance arrangements Clean Air Bradford might need.
Find us on Facebook!
https://www.facebook.com/groups/cleanairbradford/
And this new website…..not much content yet; but there will be in due course, we hope!
West Yorkshire Combined Authority
On 24th May, Cllr Kim Groves (Chair of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority – WYCA – Transport Committee), kindly agreed to meet with several of us. Officers were also in attendance. We discussed a broad range of topics in relation to plans for various road schemes, the need for modal shifts in transport, and serious challenges with road pollution. Cllr Groves gave assurances that politicians and officers are taking the issue of poor air quality extremely seriously, and are determined to work hard to tackle it.
This was felt to be a useful introductory meeting with WYCA. More meetings are expected to be held.
Public Engagement – National Clean Air Day (20th June), and a meeting on 12th June
Bradford Council are under enormous pressure from DEFRA to develop a plan for the reduction in NO2 emissions on our roads, in the shortest timescale possible. As we know, there are other forms of air pollution too. A central part of this whole project concerns the Council reaching out to communities and engaging with people right across the District.
There is also close collaboration with Born in Bradford (BiB), which is a large public health research project involving staff at local Universities and the NHS. BiB are also conducting targeted work in certain areas.
Andrew Whittles, who is working with Bradford Council, has notified us that engagement consultants have been appointed. He and colleagues are planning an event for National CleanAir Day, which is Thursday, 20th June. Andrew is keen for members of Clean Air Bradford to help him and the consultants develop a plan for engagement, let him know what we have done so far, and work up options on the way forward, including mitigation. Andrew will be coming to the Kirkgate Centre, Shipley, BD18 3EH on Wednesday, 12th June 2019 at 7pm to present further details about possible collaboration and a Clean Air Day event. If you would like to attend, you will be welcome, but please could you email info@cleanairbradford.uk , just so that we know roughly how many people to expect.
Work in Schools
Clean Air Day (20th June) was mentioned above; and Saltaire Primary School are planning activities then. Other schools may well take part in activities on that date too.
Engagement work is developing well in certain schools, which we hope is just the start. Grants have been received by three Primary Schools in Shipley (C of E, Wycliffe and Saltaire), and more. Darren Parkinson (a parent at Wycliffe) is particularly active in coordinating engagement work. Graphics and leaflet for an anti-idling campaign, are being finalised. Beckfoot School and Bingley Grammar School are also interested, and developing materials.
Active Travel
The charity Living Streets have been put in touch with Wycliffe and Saltaire schools regarding walking to school. ‘Park and Stride’ is one option that is being actively considered.
Clean Air Bradford – who are ‘we’?
As mentioned at the start, this is a broad alliance of individuals and organisations including Baildon Friends of the Earth. Several of us are in a ‘core’, and there is an informal meeting on most (not all) Fridays at the Kirkgate Centre, Shipley, at 1pm. A few of us stay in touch via email and text. If you’d like to become more involved, then email info@cleanairbradford.uk
Darren Parkinson (see schools work above) can be contacted at parkinson.darrenj@gmail.com Darren is building a network of school contacts.