Waltham Forest Labour are delighted that new data shows the Ultra Low Emission Zone expansion to outer London is already delivering significant improvements in air quality in Waltham Forest and London.
Already, air pollution equivalent to 200,000 cars driving on London’s roads for an entire year has been cut since last August. This brilliant news is in addition to the latest monitoring data for Waltham Forest showing no exceedance of the UK legal limits for nitrogen dioxide, for the first time since measurements began.
Harmful pollutant levels such as nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and particulate matter (PM10) are decreasing year-on-year in the borough.
Councillor Clyde Loakes MBE, Cabinet Member for Climate and Air Quality said:
The expansion of the Ultra Low Emission Zone was an important decision, taken despite some awful political attacks. Just six months in we can already see the expansion was the right choice for our borough and city, with millions more Londoners breathing clean air. Thank you Sadiq for your courageous leadership.
The Conservative campaign for London Mayor included numerous attacks on Mayor Sadiq Khan for this decision but his steadfast support for the expansion and his inspirational leadership on air quality for our city meant he was re-elected with a huge mandate.
ULEZ boost for borough… and across London
The expansion of the ULEZ last August has brought five million more Londoners into the zone and included the whole of Waltham Forest including Chingford. The data released today reveals that it is driving down emissions and bringing cleaner air to residents in the borough.
Within the outer London ULEZ area, Nitrous Oxide (NOx) emissions from cars and vans are estimated to be 13% and 7% lower than would have been expected without the expansion. Fine particulates (PM2.5) exhaust emissions from cars in outer London are estimated to be 22% lower than would have been expected without the expansion.
Roadside nitrogen dioxide (NO2) concentrations in outer London are up to 4.4% lower than would have been expected without the expansion. 96% of vehicles seen driving in London are now compliant, with a reduction in non-compliant vehicles dropping by more than half in six months.
Lastly, more than 96% of vehicles seen driving in outer London are now ULEZ compliant.