Poor air quality could cost UK £300m fines

BRITAIN could face £300 million fines from Europe for failing to meet air-quality targets, the Tories claimed yesterday.

Shadow environment secretary Nick Herbert said raising taxes to pay financial penalties from Brussels would be a "scandalous waste of public money" and accused ministers of "dragging their feet" on the issue.

Environment minister Jim Fitzpatrick said the government was "hopeful" it could avoid fines from the European Commission but acknowledged that meeting limits on nitrogen dioxide was "challenging".

The warning comes just days after a group of MPs found air pollution is causing the early deaths of up to 50,000 people a year and making thousands more ill.

A report by the Commons environmental audit committee said the UK should be "ashamed" of its poor air quality and accused the government of failing to take enough action to tackle the problem.