Fuel crisis was good for health
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• Evidence is emerging that the week-long fuel protest in September led to a significant drop in fatal and serious road accidents.
Although national figures will not be released by the Department of Transport until next year, research by local authorities suggests that the crisis also helped reduce air pollution.
Leeds City Council says the casualty total in the city during the protest week was 21% lower than the previous week and 25% down on the average for the same week in the previous three years.
in Lancashire, fatal accidents fell by 58% and serious accidents fell by 45%.
These figures are being used to highlight the potential benefits of road pricing in cities, Professor Chris Nash, director of the University of Leeds Institute for Transport Studies, says: "While improving alternative means of transport must be part of the package of measures, most studies conclude that these benefits can only be obtained by introducing an effective means of restraint, such as urban road pricing."
Leeds council says traffic fell by 26% during the protest. Marked reductions were also reported elsewhere in the coun
try, including a 7% drop in Birmingham. In Lancashire, the fall was 15% in town centres and 23% in rural areas.
Leeds council reports a marked improvement in air quality, with the level of nitrogen oxides falling by 24% and carbon dioxide by 19%. The council says the protest provided an invaluable opportunity" to study what actually happens when fewer people use their cars.