Opened the debate
Sheerman moved a Bill to set standards as to the emissions particulate sensing technology to be used in roadworthiness tests for diesel vehicles. He emphasised the urgency of addressing air pollution due to its significant impact on public health and economy, citing evidence that up to 36,000 people die annually from breathing polluted air. He pointed out that 90% of noxious emissions come from road transport vehicles and introduced a Bill to ensure diesel vehicles are fitted with fully functioning diesel particulate filters (DPFs). The current MOT tests in the UK only pick up 1% of faulty filters compared to the Netherlands' advanced testing technology, which would identify more filters as faulty. Sheerman's proposal aims to improve air quality by introducing new sensing technology that identifies less obviously defective but still dangerous filters.