Newham Council remain committed to reducing vehicle emissions after links to COVID-19 published

Newham residents are exposed to high levels of toxic pollution from vehicles, contributing to the highest death rate in England, according to Public Health England, with 96 people dying each year as a result.

Early findings from a study by Queen Mary University have now established vehicle pollution can also increase the risk of contracting the Covid-19 virus. The findings show that airborne pollutants from vehicles can make the body more susceptible to the virus.

This research into the link between air quality and Covid-19 raises further concern following a study from Cardiovascular Research in October, which revealed long-term exposure to air pollution can raise our risk of dying from the virus.

The research comes a year after a British Heart Foundation study found the health impact of our polluted air on residents, including children, was already the same as smoking 159 cigarettes a year.

Cabinet Member for Environment, Highways and Sustainable Transport, Councillor James Asser said: “Clean air is a fundamental human right. Long-term exposure to polluted air can have permanent health effects including development of diseases such as asthma, bronchitis and emphysema.

“Over the past 18 months Newham Council has taken robust and transformative action to improve our air quality and the health of the borough and we will continue to do so.

“We’ve been hit hard by Covid-19 and news of links to dirty air only serve to strengthen our resolve to reduce the dangerous pollution our communities are exposed to.

“Drastic action on improving air quality will remain central to the council’s approach across a range of transport, planning and development strategies.”

Newham Council declared a climate and health emergency in April, 2019 and developed an Air Quality Action Plan adopted in November, 2019, setting out the council’s ambitious targets over the next five years.

Over the past 18 months robust and transformative action to improve our air quality has included:

• Installing the largest air quality monitoring network of all the boroughs in London and becoming the first local authority to provide Nitrogen dioxide pollution monitoring outside all schools.
• The creation of a Citizens’ Assembly and network of Air Quality Champions. The Citizens’ Assembly on Climate Change is a crucial part of the Council’s commitment to extending participatory democracy in Newham so that residents are involved in decision making and shaping the future of the borough.
• Increasing sustainable transport options for residents with the launch of 80 new on-street electric vehicle charging points and the expansion of the Brompton Bike network to six hire docks conveniently located next to rail facilities, making it easier for people to re-think the way they travel.
• An experimental traffic scheme in the area of High Street North and the Browning Road Bridge has seen improvements in air quality of up to 40% and at Essex School there has been a year-on-year reduction of 30% in NO2 and 35% in PM2.5.
• The introduction of further planned Low Traffic Neighbourhood schemes in the new- year are expected to deliver similar improvements.
• The introduction of the Healthy School Streets scheme at five schools in late 2019. The schemes involve closing roads around particular schools during drop off and pick up times to create safer environments for walking and cycling, while improving air quality in the vicinity of the schools. Further phases of Healthy School Streets are being implemented in the new-year targeting schools in the most polluted areas first.
• An anti-idling campaign has been delivered at schools and our own council staff have been trained on how to reduce emissions when driving to deliver services as well as greening the council’s fleet of vehicles by moving to electric.
• Mass tree planting took place in Beckton District Park South, during National Tree Week, in December, 2019.
• Further investment has been brought forward to increase our cycle lanes in the borough.