Concerned parents spray streets with warnings about illegal levels of air pollution

Parent activists have launched a pavement art campaign to draw attention to areas with high air pollution.

Campaign group Mums for Lungs sprayed stencils with the words “illegal air pollution recorded here” on pavements on Brixton Road and Woolwich flyover.

Air monitors in these areas recorded illegal levels of air pollution in 2020.

The Ultra Low Emission Zone is due to be expanded in October covering both locations, but air particulate matter may still exceed legal limits.

Jemima Hartshorn, a parent who lives in Herne Hill and a Mums for Lungs campaigner, is pushing for London to become a diesel-free city.

She said: “Even during the pandemic when London’s roads felt empty for months, it’s astounding to see that so many areas were still illegally polluted in 2020.

“We are grateful for the Ultra Low Emission Zone and the October expansion is critical to protecting kids’ health.

“But initial data from 2021 indicates many of these sites will continue to exceed legal limits, highlighting the inadequacy of existing plans to reduce pollution. We need firm proposals for a diesel-free city.”

The stencil has been sprayed at 13 other air monitoring sites across London, including Putney High Street, Shepherd’s Bush and Chelsea Old Town Hall.

All 15 air quality monitors recorded illegally high levels of the particle NO2 during the last year.

NO2 is a pollutant that can cause reduced lung function in children.

It can also trigger asthma attacks and hospital admissions for children living with lung conditions.

Previous research shows that NO 2 pollution is on average 24-31% higher in areas where people from Black, Asian or minority ethnic backgrounds are most likely to live.

Elizabeth Fonseca, Senior Air Quality Manager for Environmental Defense Fund Europe said: “London still fails to meet legal levels of NO2 air pollution, meaning children are continuing to grow up breathing toxic air. 

“Data at these individual monitoring sites only provides a tiny part of the wider picture. 

“Modelling clearly shows that many areas across London are continuing to exceed legal limits, including those outside the bounds of the ULEZ expansion. 

“Without further action, there is a great risk that some London communities will be left behind.” 

A spokesperson for the Mayor of London said: “Air pollution is a national health crisis that is stunting the lung development of our children and leading to thousands of premature deaths. 

“The Mayor is taking some of the boldest action of any city in the world to tackle air pollution. In central London, the Ultra Low Emission Zone has already helped cut toxic roadside nitrogen dioxide pollution by nearly half and led to reductions that are five times greater than the national average.

“But pollution isn’t just a central London problem, which is why expanding the ULEZ later this year will benefit Londoners across the whole of the city and is a crucial step in London’s green recovery.”