A GOVERNMENT minister has promised to tackle pollution in a residential area plagued by fumes from an industrial estate.
Richard Benyon, under-secretary of state for environment, food and rural affairs, made the assurance in the Commons, after Ealing Central and Acton MP, Angie Bray, raised the question of Horn Lane, Acton, in the house last Wednesday for the second time in two weeks.
Pointing out the intolerably high levels of harmful particles in the air, Ms Bray criticised the Environment Agency for monitoring the health risk but not acting on the data. She said the level of harmful particles frequently rises above European targets and is often more than double the safe limit.
"What is the point in monitoring if it does not actually lead to anything?" she said.
She suggested a solution may be to move the industrial units to Park Royal, made more possible by the completion of the new Crossrail station at Acton mainline station, as the surrounding area will be in demand for shops and offices. The station should be completed in about 2018.
Mr Benyon said pollution levels had reduced since 2006, and pointed out not all the problems could be solved by the government.
He said the Environment Agency was working with the council to help firms dispose of waste, and promised to arrange meetings between the agency and businesses involved.
He added that enforcement action could be taken only after the individual major polluters are identified through data, an objective the agency was working towards.
Both MPs praised the work of the residents' campaign group Stop Horn Lane Pollution.
