The ‘tube’ is used in Bow to monitor air pollution in St Paul’s Way

Diffusion tubes to monitor air pollution have been installed in east London along the busy St Paul’s Way in Bow Common.

Using the 'tube' to monitor air quality at Bow Common Picture source: Reclaiming Streets - Credit: Reclaiming Streets

They are being left there for two weeks before being taken away to be lab-tested to see what evidence there is of traffic pollution.

The tubes were installed along the B140 traffic route between Burdett Road and Bromley-by-Bow by campaigners from the Reclaiming Streets environment group.

“Air pollution damages health, particularly children, the elderly, and anyone with respiratory problems,” said their spokesman. “The diffusion tubes collect accurate data and will be sent off for laboratory analysis after two weeks.”

Safe legal limits are said to be exceeded at 62 per cent of all pollution monitoring sites in the East End, with six out of 20 Tower Hamlets schools exposed to high levels of Nitrogen dioxide.

The monitoring project is being carried out for next month’s St Paul’s Way Festival which is being staged on June 23 with a road closure for the first time. Campaigners hope to show the impact that reducing traffic can have.