Air quality 'must improve before London 2012'

Improving air quality in London must be a priority for authorities ahead of the 2012 Olympic Games, according to a Green member of the European parliament (MEP).

Jean Lambert, London's Green MEP, has warned that failure to address air quality could cause an embarrassing legal situation for the UK in the lead-up to the sporting event, the Hackney Gazette reports.

Legal action has been launched by the EU commission after the UK was found to be breaching standards on air quality and, with new pollution limits to be introduced next year, the UK has much work to do, believes Ms Lambert.

She said that pre-emptive action needs to be taken now in order to avoid legal wrangles as the Olympic clock ticks down.

Ms Lambert asked: "All eyes will be on London in 2012 - how is it going to look if we're in the dock for failing to reduce the levels of deadly pollutants in the air?"

Her comments follow the news that London mayor Boris Johnson is considering adding more low emission zones to his anti-pollution scheme, despite recently placing the third scheme of the project on the backburner.