Eighteen months on from the expansion of the Ultra Low Emission Zone to outer London, the Mayor of London has published a report claiming the scheme has substantially reduced harmful missions. The report data, produced by Transport for London (TfL), the Greater London Authority (GLA) and a group of independent air quality analysis experts, claims that Kingston – along with each of the other ten outer London boroughs – had the same cumulative benefit in reduced emissions.
However, according to a report in The Standard: “the ULEZ has not had any impact in reducing traffic levels in London. In fact, the number of vehicles – both compliant and non-compliant – has increased further since the scheme was expanded.”
The report goes on to say, “the primary aim of the Ulez was to reduce NO2 (Nitrogen Dioxide), but has also reduced PM2.5 particulate levels. NO2 is a toxic gas that exacerbates asthma, impedes lung development, and raises the risk of lung cancer. Nearly a third of all asthma cases worldwide are linked to long-term exposure to PM2.5.”
Interested to find out more statistics about Kingston and the other outer London boroughs? Here is a link to a handy map showing details of reductions for each borough. The mayor’s office has also produced a quality checker tool allowing residents to check air quality across all London boroughs.