Researchers from Queen Mary University of London have found a strong association between the city’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) and improved lung health among children. The ULEZ, introduced in April 2019, imposes a 24‑hour charge of £12.50 on vehicles that fail to meet strict emissions standards. It was expanded in August 2023 to cover the capital’s outer boroughs and suburbs.
Study design and findings
The longitudinal study tracked 3,400 children aged 6 to 9 from 84 schools in London and the nearby town of Luton between 2018 and 2022. Luton served as a control site, sharing similar traffic‑related pollutants but without a ULEZ.
Initially, London children displayed significantly smaller lung capacity than their Luton peers. Over five years of annual school‑based lung measurements, the London cohort showed steady improvement, eventually matching the lung size of children in Luton. The proportion of London children with clinically impaired lung function fell from 14% to 9%, compared with a decline from 9% to 7% in Luton.
Implications for child health
Reduced lung development in early life is linked to higher risks of asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cardiovascular disease, metabolic disorders, and premature death. The researchers say the findings suggest that clean‑air policies can reverse such deficits, offering “major implications for improving the long‑term health of children.”
Expert commentary
Ian Mudway, associate professor at Imperial College London, called the results “bold and ambitious measures” that demonstrate clean‑air zones as effective public‑health interventions. However, independent statisticians cautioned that the study shows correlation, not definitive causation, and noted other factors—such as lower pollution during the COVID‑19 pandemic—could have contributed.
Kevin McConway, emeritus professor of applied statistics, suggested broader geographic comparisons would strengthen the evidence, while Stephen Burgess, a Cambridge biostatistician, praised the data but urged careful interpretation.
Local response
Mayor Sadiq Khan, who championed the ULEZ despite political opposition, described the findings as validation of his “hardest decision as mayor.” He noted that the improvement in children’s lung health marks a victory against “toxic air” in the capital.
The study, published in The Lancet Public Health, adds to a growing body of research indicating that targeted environmental policies can yield measurable health benefits for the most vulnerable members of the community.
Original reporting: KEYT (Ventura/Santa Barbara) — read the source article.
