Ulez linked to improved lung growth in children, major study finds

Sarah Sleet, chief executive officer of Asthma + Lung UK, believes ultra low emission zones should be used across the country after it was linked to improved lung growth in children in London.

She said: “ULEZ can spark fierce political debate, but this study replaces the polarised opinions with hard evidence. Air pollution damages kids’ lungs, and low emission zones can reverse the harm.

“A real cause for hope is that it isn’t just future generations that get protected, the study authors conclude that children in London with already damaged lungs recovered. We now know that the harm being done to kids’ lungs today can be reversed.

“Children’s lungs are still developing, making them especially vulnerable to the harmful effects of air pollution. They breathe faster than adults and often breathe in air closer to sources of pollution in their everyday lives, such as vehicle exhausts often being at pram height.

“Reducing their exposure to toxic air, lowers their risk of developing life-limiting lung conditions like asthma, Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) and lung cancer.

“The ULEZ has been a world-leading public health success and should be replicated in urban areas across the country. There is no good justification for children living in other UK cities to suffer stunted lung development when we know clean air zones work.

“The study authors have provided the evidence, now it’s up to local and national leaders to take action. Seventy years on from the first Clean Air Act, politicians can – and should – take steps to protect countless children from the suffocating grip of air pollution.”