Greater London has highest levels of pollution, with Portsmouth ranked best
The impacts of air pollution have yet to be fully realised, but December last year saw the first person in the UK to have ‘air pollution’ listed as a cause of death. (Photo by Chris J Ratcliffe/Getty Images)
Greater London has the worst levels of air pollution, according to Defra’s Daily Air Quality Index, which is set to rise as lockdown restrictions ease and the capital renews itself as a tourism hub.
The capital has been ranked a score of 2.84 on the index. While the average score for the UK’s urban areas is 2.55.
Toxic air pollution exceeded legal levels in 800 roadside locations last year
Campaigners said the figures needed to be more readily available to help people avoid the worst-affected areas
17 December 2020 • 7:00pm
A pollution haze hangs over South East London, in a photo taken from The Shard skyscraper
Credit: Matt Dunham /AP
Poisonous air pollution exceeded legal thresholds on 800 major roadsides in the UK, Defra data reveals, after a landmark court victory blamed toxic air for a young girl s death.
Levels of dangerous nitrogen dioxide, the exhaust chemical thought to have contributed to the fatal illness of nine-year-old Ella Adoo-Kissi-Debrah, exceeded legal limits in 815 roadside spots across the UK last year, Telegraph analysis found.