Air quality in London

Air pollution is one of the top environmental concerns for Londoners. Poor air quality can cause serious health problems and reduces quality of life for all of us.

As recently as the 1950s London was infamous for its pollution. The great smogs of that decade forced governments to introduce legislation to reduce emissions of air pollutants.

London is most concerned with two pollutants that can affect human health: particulate matter (PM) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2). Levels of both declined in the 1990s but have remained relatively stable for almost ten years.

The challenge of cleaning London’s air is made more difficult because a significant amount of the pollution sources are not within London. Recently, steps taken to improve air quality in London include:

Congestion charging and the London Low Emission Zone

Smarter travel initiatives

Car clubs

Improving road maintenance

Smoothing traffic

Cleaner buses with lower emission

Taxi emissions strategy

Best Practice Guidance for construction and demolition sites

But even with all these measures London is not meeting its legal targets and objectives, so further work is needed.

The Mayor’s draft air quality strategy

The Mayor is developing an Air Quality Strategy to protect the health of Londoners and increase their quality of life by cleaning up the air we breathe in London. This will be delivered through initiatives to reduce emissions from transport, homes, offices and new developments, including:

Age limits for taxis

Promoting low-emission vehicles (such as electric cars)

Promoting eco-driving

New standards for the Low Emission Zone

Retrofitting older buses

Targeted measures for areas where air quality is poor.

Using the planning system to reduce emissions from new developments.

Retrofitting homes and offices to make them more energy efficient

Implementing the strategy

Every Londoner can take action to improve air quality – such as walking rather than driving to the shops, or turning off the central heating when it’s not needed. The Mayor and GLA group will deliver the strategy, collaborating closely with boroughs and the private sector.

But poor air quality is a national problem and the government needs to play its part by providing funding for London and by implementing measures that will improve air quality across the country as well as in London.