ULEZ and LEZ in London has improved air quality, research

First launched 15 years ago in 2008, academics at the University of Bath said the LEZ and the ultra-low emission zone (ULEZ) in 2019 have significantly improved air quality.

Researchers shared that the introduction of the LEZ has helped to reduce particulate matter (PM10) in Greater London by 13% between 2008 and 2013, compared to between 2003 and 2007.

Adding that nitrogen dioxide levels had fallen by 18.4% in 2019 in central London following the launch of the ULEZ compared to the period between 2016 and 2018.

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— TfL (@TfL) October 23, 2023

ULEZ and LEZ have improved London’s air, research shows

The University of Bath researchers said that when comparing London to other large cities such as Manchester, Leicester, Liverpool, and Leeds without such schemes, they found the benefits far exceed implementation costs.

Cleaner air in London brought about by the low emission zone contributed to a 4.5% reduction in long-term health problems and an 8% decrease in respiratory issues like asthma and bronchitis.

They concluded that the clean air zones have helped to generate cost savings of over £963 million in Greater London.

The LEZ also saw a reduction in hospital admissions for respiratory conditions like COPD and avoided 12 respiratory admissions and 2.88 acute respiratory admissions per 10,000 people in Greater London, compared to other areas in England.

Nearly 80,000 fewer older, more polluting vehicles on London’s streets.

That’s what the Ultra Low Emission Zone is about—giving everyone in London a chance to breathe cleaner air. pic.twitter.com/uxzRA8IdPg

— Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan (@MayorofLondon) October 31, 2023

Discussing the research, lead author Dr Habtamu Beshir, from the University of Bath, said: “With this analysis, our goal was to offer an objective overview of the impact of low emission zones in the capital and beyond.

“Our study compares London to cities like Manchester, demonstrating the effectiveness of LEZ and ULEZ in improving air quality, enhancing health and alleviating the economic burden of ill health.”

The university research follows a report from TfL earlier this week that showed the proportion of vehicles in the expanded area that comply with minimum emissions standards has risen from 85% in May 2022 to 95% in September.

Mr Khan extended the ULEZ zone from everywhere within the North and South Circular roads to cover all London boroughs from August 29.