What is London Doing to Reduce Air Pollution for the Olympics?

Quick guide to air pollution (3 page pdf, Clean Air in London, Jun. 22, 2012) 

A press release from London’s clean air advocate organization today contains an assessment of air quality in that city that, while troubling, is admirable in terms of laying out where, how and what impacts air pollution is having in England’s capital on the eve of hosting the 2012 Olympic games. It is notable that previous Games in Athens and Beijing had partial success in using “hard” measures (such as odd-even license plate bans) rather than depending on voluntary cooperation from their driving public.  

Key Quotes: 

“London has the highest levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) pollution of any capital city in Europe” 

 “The Mayor published a study in 2010 estimating 4,267 premature deaths in London in 2008 attributable to long term exposure to polluted air” 

“ Some 1,148 schools in London are within 150 metres of the city’s busiest and most polluted roads (i.e. those that carry over 10,000 vehicles a day). Traffic pollution from such roads may be responsible for 15-30% of all new cases of asthma in children”

 “Legally binding, health based limits for several air pollutants, have been set by the European Union since 1999. London is failing to meet these for PM₁₀ and NO_2”

  _“London needs at least a 30% fall in ‘normal’ traffic during the Olympics in order to accommodate extra Games traffic and the Olympic Route Network and avoid increases in road congestion and pollution”

 “prior to the 2008 Beijing Games, the Chinese authorities spent ¥60 billion (£6 billion) on long term measures to reduce air pollution”