London ULEZ linked to improved lung growth in children

A five-year study involving more than 3,400 children suggests that London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) is linked to improved lung growth in children. The research, published in The Lancet Public Health, compared children aged six to nine in London with those in Luton, a town with similar traffic pollution but no clean air zone.

Researchers found that nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) exposure fell more than twice as much and twice as quickly in London following the ULEZ implementation. As a result, London children’s lung function increased by an average of 10ml per year more than their peers in Luton. By the end of the study period, the lung function of London children had caught up to that of the Luton group.

The proportion of London children with clinically impaired lung function also decreased from 14% to 9%, whereas the reduction in Luton was from 9% to 7%. Experts state this provides strong evidence that clean air zones can mitigate the health impacts of traffic-related pollution on developing lungs.