All main roads in City breaking EU pollution rules, London Assembly told

Most main traffic routes across east London continue breaking EU legal limits on air pollution, latest City Hall figures reveal today.

The City tops of the “dirty streets” league with 100 per cent of 14 miles of main roads in the Square Mile having excessive emissions, according to statistics uncovered by the London Assembly’s Jenny Jones.

East London fares almost as bad, from Whitechapel to the suburbs of Beckton and Dagenham.

Tower Hamlets which borders the City is fifth worst on the list of the 33 London boroughs with about 59 of its 60 miles of main roads polluted, or 97 per cent. Worst blackspot traditionally is the A12 Blackwall Tunnel approach.

Neighbouring Newham is 12th on the list with 87 per cent main roads reeling under pollution, while even suburban Barking & Dagenham has three out of four main roads, or 76 per cent, with excessive pollution—the A13 between Canning Town and Dagenham being the worst.

“The Mayor needs to tackle air pollution in the suburbs as well as inner London,” said Green Party member Jenny Jones. “Anyone shopping, working, or travelling along our main roads needs to be aware this is a problem.”

She is calling for lower fares and improving public transport to encourage more commuter motorists to use buses and trains, to help reduce pollution on three-our-of four of London’s 20,000 miles of main roads.