Islington Labour is committed to taking action to tackle toxic air pollution, especially around our school gates.
The proposal to build a delivery hub for Ocado goes against everything Islington Labour is trying to do to improve air quality in the borough.
In June this year, Islington Labour declared an environment and climate emergency, committing to becoming a net-zero carbon borough by 2030.
Air quality in Islington is improving but needs to get even better. Islington’s Labour-run Council has taken a number of measures to improve it, including the diesel surcharge and the roll-out of School Streets across the borough.
The proposal to build the hub would mean diesel lorries driving down the boundary wall of Yerbury Primary School from 10am to 4pm, leading to poorer air quality for the children. It would also mean the installation of diesel pumps at the hub which would lead to increased emissions in Islington.
The vehicles would also drive close to the nearby Leaping Lizard Nursery, in Whittington Park, and Tufnell Park Playing Fields.
Air quality for our children and tackling the environment and climate emergency are top priorities for Islington Labour and that is why we strongly oppose these plans.
The Council Leader, Cllr Richard Watts, along with Cllr Rowena Champion, Executive Member for Environment and Transport, and Jeremy Corbyn MP have written to Ocado to question the moral basis on which the company has decided a diesel pump and fuel tank adjacent to a primary school playground is acceptable. They also met with the company last week and still harbour grave concerns about the development of the site, as they continue to fail to address any of the concerns raised.
We have secured an extension to the consultation process until 27 January 2020, which will allow local residents and parents to properly voice their concerns and we’ll continue to work with to ensure its voice is heard in opposition to the plans.
We join local residents in strongly opposing the proposal to build an Ocado delivery hub in Tufnell Park and will continue to fight their corner to say #NOcado.
Please join our fight and sign our petition, linked below, to call on Ocado to stop their plans to increase the number of highly polluting vehicles around Yerbury School.