London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Thursday, Jul 10, 2025

London Says Air Pollution Fell By Roughly A Third After New Emissions Rules

London Says Air Pollution Fell By Roughly A Third After New Emissions Rules

London says toxic air pollution has fallen by roughly a third inside a central urban zone where drivers are required to meet specific emission standards or pay a daily fine. The city launched the Ultra Low Emission Zone in April.
The city's report states that about 13,500 fewer polluting cars are driven in the zone daily, and that traffic has decreased overall in the bustling area.

According to the report, nitrogen dioxide pollution has fallen by 36% in the central zone since February 2017, when the city first announced a "toxicity charge" on older vehicles.

London Mayor Sadiq Khan announced the new ULEZ charges after seeing an increase in children suffering chronic illness and lung damage from air pollutants. He says the new report shows the move was a step in the right direction.

"I am determined to stop Londoners breathing air so filthy it is damaging our children's lungs and causing thousands of premature deaths," Khan says. "The ULEZ shows what we can achieve if we are brave enough to implement such ambitious policies."

The implementation of the ULEZ has been called "radical" because of its 24/7 regulation and strict emission standards. Some small-business owners expressed concerns about how the additional cost burden of buying new cars or paying steep charges might affect them.

Despite the criticism, the city plans to expand the zone's borders in 2021 to include London's inner suburbs bounded by the North and South Circular roads that effectively ring the city. An online petition that was created to protest the expansion has garnered more than 95,000 signatures.

In response to the petition, Khan's public liaison says air pollution is "a national health crisis" that is reducing life expectancy.

"While the Mayor is also acting on other sources [of pollution], road transport is the greatest contributor to air pollution in London," the statement says. "There is no way to make the massive improvements needed to London's air quality without tackling the most polluting vehicles and so this must be a focus for action."

The zone is part of Khan's continued efforts to improve London's air quality. All cars, not just ones below emission standards, must pay a daily charge of 11.50 pounds (nearly $15) if they drive within central London between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. The city says the money will go toward improving the transportation network.

Other major cities around the world are introducing vehicle regulations and bans that are meant to reduce air pollution and make urban areas more livable.

In 2016, Paris banned cars made before 1997 from the city center on weekdays; it also recently declared the first Sunday of every month to be car-free. And earlier this month, San Francisco officials voted to ban cars from Market Street, the city's downtown spine.
Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
Severe Heatwave Claims 2,300 Lives Across Europe
NVIDIA Achieves Historic Milestone as First Company Valued at $4 Trillion
Declining Beer Consumption Signals Cultural Shift in Germany
Linda Yaccarino Steps Down as CEO of X After Two Years
US Imposes New Tariffs on Brazilian Exports Amid Political Tensions
Azerbaijan and Armenia are on the brink of a historic peace deal.
Emails Leaked: How Passenger Luggage Became a Side Income for Airport Workers
Polish MEP: “Dear Leftists - China is laughing at you, Russia is laughing, India is laughing”
BRICS Expands Membership with Indonesia and Ten New Partner Countries
Weinstein Victim’s Lawyer Says MeToo Movement Still Strong
U.S. Enacts Sweeping Tax and Spending Legislation Amid Trade Policy Shifts
Football Mourns as Diogo Jota and Brother André Silva Laid to Rest in Portugal
Labour Expected to Withdraw Support for Special Needs Funding Model
Leaked Audio Reveals Tory Aide Defending DEI Record
Elon Musk Founds a Party Following a Poll on X: "You Wanted It – You Got It!"
London Stock Exchange Faces Historic Low in Initial Public Offerings
A new online platform has emerged in the United Kingdom, specifically targeting Muslim men seeking virgin brides
Trump Celebrates Independence Day with B-2 Flyover and Signs Controversial Legislation
Boris Johnson Urges Conservatives to Ignore Farage
SNP Ordered to Update Single-Sex Space Guidance Within Days
Starmer Set to Reject Calls for Wealth Taxes
Stolen Century-Old Rolls-Royce Recovered After Hotel Theft
Macron Presses Starmer to Recognise Palestinian State
Labour Delayed Palestine Action Ban Over Riot Concerns
Swinney’s Tax Comments ‘Offensive to Scots’, Say Tories
High Street Retailers to Enforce Bans on Serial Shoplifters
Music Banned by Henry VIII to Be Performed After 500 Years
Steve Coogan Says Working Class Is Being ‘Ethnically Cleansed’
Home Office Admits Uncertainty Over Visa Overstayer Numbers
JD Vance Questions Mandelson Over Reform Party’s Rising Popularity
Macron to Receive Windsor Carriage Ride in Royal Gesture
Labour Accused of ‘Hammering’ Scots During First Year in Power
BBC Head of Music Stood Down Amid Bob Vylan Controversy
Corbyn Eyes Hard-Left Challenge to Starmer’s Leadership
London Tube Trains Suspended After Major Fire Erupts Nearby
Richard Kemp: I Felt Safer in Israel Under Attack Than in the UK
Cyclist Says Police Cited Human Rights Act for Riding No-Handed
China’s Central Bank Consults European Peers on Low-Rate Strategies
AI Raises Alarms Over Long-Term Job Security
Saudi Arabia Maintains Ties with Iran Despite Israel Conflict
Musk Battles to Protect Tesla Amid Trump Policy Threats
Air France-KLM Acquires Majority Stake in Scandinavian Airlines
UK Educators Sound Alarm on Declining Child Literacy
Shein Fined €40 Million in France Over Misleading Discounts
Brazil’s Lula Visits Kirchner During Argentina House Arrest
Trump Scores Legislative Win as House Passes Tax Reform Bill
Keir Starmer Faces Criticism After Rocky First Year in Power
DJI Launches Heavy-Duty Coaxial Quadcopter with 80 kg Lift Capacity
U.S. Senate Approves Major Legislation Dubbed the 'Big Beautiful Bill'
Largest Healthcare Fraud Takedown in U.S. History Announced by DOJ
×