Times, 5 November 2016:

Sir, The judgment against the government on air pollution is momentous (“Drivers of toxic diesels must pay to enter cities”, Nov 3). Not only does it spell the end of a filthy fossil fuel, it also demonstrates the vulnerability of the government’s plans for Heathrow to legal challenge. The most likely government response is to extend clean emission zones, but studies in the UK have shown no improvement in the lung function of children before and after the introduction of such schemes. Far more effective is to increase the tax on diesel to a level where drivers opt for genuinely clean alternatives.

DR ROBIN RUSSELL-JONES

Former chairman, Campaign for Lead-Free Air, Stoke Poges, Bucks