LONDON ROADS TOP NITROGEN DIOXIDE POLLUTION LEVELS

12.01.00am BST (GMT +0100) Tue 7th Jun 2005

Commenting on the findings by the Chartered Society of Physiotherapists that half of the places with the highest Nitrogen Dioxide pollution levels in the UK were in London, London Assembly Liberal Democrat Environment Spokesperson, Mike Tuffrey said:-

"High nitrogen dioxide levels can cause lung damage and increased respiratory infections in young children. Long-term exposure may lead to increases in asthma and may cause alterations in the lung.

"London is now in breach of European law over the amount of pollutants that have been belched out across some parts of London. Mr Livingstone has succeeded in combating some of central London's pollution, but he has failed to tackle the pollution in the air Londoners who live outside the Congestion Charge zone breath."

ENDS

Notes to editor

· In 2004, the Liberal Democrats revealed that Nitrogen Dioxide levels in London had risen 15% between 2002 and 2003. Approximately 50% of nitrogen dioxide emissions come from cars and 25% from power stations. In addition to causing acid rain and producing low-level ozone, they irritate the respiratory tract, impair lung function and have been linked to lung cancer. They particularly affect people with asthma.

· European rules state that PM10 emissions (fine particles, mostly from vehicle exhausts, which are to blame for causing respiratory diseases, asthma attacks and up to 10,000 premature deaths nationwide each year) must not exceed the permitted maximum levels more than 35 times per year. However a monitoring station in Marylebone Road has already recorded 36 breaches of emission levels.

· The Government's target under the Air Quality Strategy is that by 2005 the amount of nitrogen dioxide should be below 40ìg/m³ for the yearly average.

· Figures below have been taken from the Chartered Society of Physiotherapists

Here are the 10 monitoring points in the UK with the highest PM10

levels (figures are all mcg/m3):

Jan-May 2005 2004 mean

London Marylebone Road 41 43

Camden Kerbside 36 35

Glasgow Kerbside 34 27

Bradford Centre 29 27

Leeds Centre 29 22

London A3 Roadside 29 27

Bury Roadside 27 30

London Hillingdon 27 27

London Bloomsbury 27 26

Stockton-on-Tees Yarm 27 27