Claim pollution is down on same period last year

Wandsworth Council have responded to reports of poor air quality on Putney High Street by claiming that pollution has been reduced from last year.

Earlier this week a TfL official was reported as describing Putney's nitrogen dioxide as 'the worst in Europe' and levels on Putney High Street have already breached annual limits nine days into January.

Concentrations of nitrogen dioxide - a gas linked to asthma and other serious respiratory problems - are not supposed to go above 200 ug/m3 on more than 18 occasions a year under Government clean air targets.

The Council say that their air quality monitoring stations on Putney High Street have recorded a year on year reduction in nitrogen dioxide.



Provisional data from the kerbside pollution monitor shows a 49 % decrease in the number of times nitrogen dioxide levels exceeded the EU hourly target last year compared to the previous 12 months.

There was a 65% year on year decrease at the council’s second air quality monitoring station which is attached to a high street building façade.

The decreases coincide with the introduction of cleaner buses on Putney High Street which were introduced gradually from October 2012. The bus investment came about as a result of Wandsworth air quality and traffic study which ensured Putney was treated as a priority.

Detailed analysis is now underway to ratify the raw data and identify any other factors, like weather or road closures, which could account for the potential fall in nitrogen dioxide.

Cllr Jonathan Cook, environment spokesman for the council, said:“We share our residents’ deep concern at the high street’s nitrogen dioxide levels which is why we installed the air monitoring stations and used the results to leverage a major upgrade to Putney’s heavily polluting bus fleet.

“Provisional data shows nitrogen dioxide levels have fallen dramatically as cleaner buses were introduced but there is still a very long way to go before this congested street achieves the clean air objective set by the EU.

“We continue to work on several fronts to accelerate the rate of improvement including revising road and parking layouts and working with businesses to reduce the impacts of delivery traffic. We also promote and invest in a range of alternative transport options to help our residents and businesses switch from cars to less polluting modes of travel. This includes an extension of the cycle hire scheme which now covers Putney, new electric vehicle infrastructure and a vastly improved riverbus services from Putney Pier.”

January 17, 2014