London Air Pollution Deaths Fall 40% as Ultra-Low Emission Zone Shows Results

The Lead

Deaths linked to air pollution in London have fallen by an estimated 40% over the five years from 2019, according to new analysis from Imperial College London. The city's mayor, Sadiq Khan, has welcomed what he calls "overwhelming evidence" that his ultra-low emission zone (Ulez) is saving lives.

Improved Air Quality Metrics

The study found that toxic air pollution in London has reduced significantly, with nitrogen dioxide levels down 41% and fine particulate pollution down 28% since 2019. This improvement comes as scientific understanding of air pollution's health impacts has grown, with previous estimates of 4,000 premature deaths attributed to air pollution in 2019 now revised upward to 6,400-8,000, though still falling to 3,800-5,100 by 2024.

Health Impact Analysis

Dr David Dajnak from Imperial's Environmental Research Group emphasized that despite the progress, "air pollution remains a serious public health risk." Recent evidence shows stronger associations between air pollution and cardiovascular conditions, dementia, diabetes, as well as respiratory diseases. The research found that boroughs with the highest ratio of deaths attributable to air pollution in 2024 were in outer London, including Bexley, Havering and Sutton.

Policy Implementation and Results

While the Imperial report doesn't specifically credit the Ulez, Mayor Khan has stated that "the evidence is now overwhelming and unarguable: the bold action we have taken in London has reduced pollution, improved public health and saved lives." The Ulez, launched in central London in 2019 and expanded to inner boroughs in 2021, requires vehicles that don't meet emission standards to pay a daily charge of £12.50 for cars. Currently, about 97% of vehicles driving in the zone are compliant.

Future Outlook and Remaining Challenges

Despite the progress, challenges remain. Jemima Hartshorn of Mums for Lungs noted that "over 100,000 children went to hospital with breathing issues in London in 2024" and that "other cities and regions are still more polluted." Prof Stephen Holgate from the Royal College of Physicians described the scale of improvement as "so encouraging" and "a powerful reminder that decisive, sustained action can deliver real, measurable benefits for people's health." Mayor Khan continues to push for expanded clean air measures, including providing £2.7m for indoor air quality filters in classrooms and increasing zero-emission buses in London's fleet.