Trees are very important in improving Eastbourne’s air quality

A certain amount of publicity continues to be given to the report by the World Health Organisation concerning Eastbourne’s air quality.

It concludes that the town experiences one of the highest rates of air pollution in the south east. This had always seemed strange, given that Brighton has a far higher population with a corresponding rate of traffic.

Yet it would appear that the fault is not Eastbourne’s!

We are apparently situated in a geographical enclave, in which pollution is trapped in a way that does not apply to our sister resort 23 miles away. What can we do about it? In the current edition of the Eastbourne Society’s magazine, The Observer, a touching and eloquent article by Jane Montague makes a closely-argued case for the importance of trees. Certainly in the short stretch of Meads Road, between Silverdale and Blackwater Roads, the speedy growth of new trees has made a difference to the quality of the walk along the route.

It seems that in the country as a whole we are behind in tree creation. Last year 1,420 acres of woodland were reportedly created, compared with a promised 15,000 acres.

In this aspect alone, could Eastbourne show the way as a starter to reduce the alleged pollution in our excellent and much-loved town? And are there experts at hand who could come up with additional answers?