ENVIRONMENTAL lawyers told the High Court today that the government’s plans to tackle air pollution are “flawed” because they fall short of what is needed.

ClientEarth sought a judicial review of the plans by the governments of England and Wales in response to their plans to reduce the currently illegal levels of harmful nitrogen dioxide in the atmosphere.

The charity, which has won two previous cases against ministers over their failure to meet legal limits for the pollutant, says the latest proposals row back on an earlier promise to order five cities to introduce clean air zones by 2020.