London - Air Quality

• Issues caused by Air Quality

  • Road vehicles produce nearly half of all nitrogen oxides and emit tiny particles of rubber and metal into the air that people breathe in.  As a result Londoners are developing life-changing illnesses such as cancer, asthma and lung disease.
  • More than 500,000 Londoners live with asthma and are more vulnerable to the impact of toxic air - over half of these people live in outer London boroughs. Air pollution even contributes to the premature death of thousands of Londoners every year.
• What emits most of the air pollution in London?

  • Road vehicles are the single biggest cause of London's air pollution. They produce nearly half of all nitrogen oxides and emit tiny particles of rubber and metal.
  • 57.6% of Nitrogen oxides is produced from transport
  • Industrial and commercial accounts for 35.% of Nitrogen oxides emitted
• What causes London to have bad air pollution?

  •  The UK experiences increased frequency of light winds leading to the build up of locally emitted pollution. If these winds come from the east, pollution emitted in Europe can also be transported across to the UK and this adds to London’s poor air quality. 
  • The sheer size of London, combined with a dense road network and tall buildings, means central London is one of the most polluted places in the UK, according to the London Air Quality Network. Pollution builds up when it becomes trapped between buildings, especially during still weather.
• Ultra Low Emissions Zone (ULEZ)

  • ULEZ has already made a significant difference. Since it launched in central London in 2019, it has helped cut the number of older, polluting vehicles on the road.
  • Helped to reduce harmful roadside nitrogen dioxide concentrations by 21% in outer London, 53% in central London and 24% in inner London
  • Despite this progress, more needs to be done because most of the deaths related to air pollution occur in outer London areas. This is why the ULEZ operates across all London boroughs to help 5 million more people in outer boroughs have clearer air to breathe too.
• Greener Transport in London

  • 9000 buses are low or zero emissions
  • More than 1500 electrical and hydrogen buses
  • All new licensed taxis in London must be zero-emission capable. Over half of London's licensed taxis - over 8,000 vehicles - are already in this category
  •  The City of London now has over 20,000 charge points for electric vehicles, representing around a third of all charge points in the UK
• Healthier Transport in London (schools)

  • More than 600 School Streets have been created In partnership with London boroughs. School Streets restrict vehicle access outside a school during drop off and pick up times - this has helped to make it safer and easier for children to travel to and from school by foot, bike or scooter as well as improving air quality for them
• Healthier Transport in London (Cycling)

  • The government provides free cycle skills online training to persuade people to cycle around the city
  • New data from Transport for London (TfL) reveals that the number of cycle journeys have increased by 26% since 2019. TfL's annual Travel in London report finds that 1.33 million cycle journeys take place every day. 
  • However it is still estimated that 63% of London’s car journeys could be cycled