Air pollution continues to drop in Wandsworth

Recent data has shown that Wandsworth continues to see levels of the dangerous pollutant Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) dropping across the borough.

NO2 gases are produced primarily by combustion engines (such as in vehicles) and commercial and residential fossil fuel heating systems.

Cabinet member for Environment Judi Gasser said: “I’m very pleased to see that the air quality in Wandsworth continues to improve, however we cannot be complacent, and we must take steps to comply with our ambitious local air quality objectives. Much of this work is in no small part to the work we’ve done to listen to our residents, and to put your ideas into practice. This was recognised this July by the Air Quality team receiving the Local Government Chronicle Award for Medium Team of the Year – of which we are extremely proud.

“The council is just part of the solution - we will continue take bold actions to ensure our community’s children can grow up breathing clean air.”

 What has the council been doing?

At the end of 2022, the council pledged to renew its Air Quality Action Plan to reflect an increased sense of urgency from the council’s new administration. It committed to introducing a Citizens’ Assembly to gather local views on pollution in the borough.

 The Citizens’ Assembly consisted of 50 local people who shared their thoughts about how to clean up Wandsworth’s air, improve people’s health, and address climate change.

 Among its 53 recommendations throughout 2023, residents suggested improving air quality monitoring. As a result of this Assembly, the first upgraded air quality monitor has now been installed at Thessaly Road/Battersea Park Road and the second has been installed in Putney High Street.

 Councillor Gasser continued: “Our enhanced monitoring network will help us assess the scale of the problem, and the Citizen’s Assembly was vital to give local people the opportunity to shape our approach to air pollution. 

 “We must work together as a borough to do all we can to improve air quality – it's vital if we are to prevent people’s health being damaged – especially the more vulnerable members of our community.”

 Find out more about the air quality Citizens’ Assembly.

Other council action includes:  

• Promoting active travel with new Cycle Quietways, and schemes including Try Before You Bike and cargo bike hire.
• Changing its fleet to low emission vehicles.
• Work with schools to carry out air quality audits, set up school streets and green screens and encourage non-polluting travel choices such as cycling and walking to and from school.
• Analysing local risks. Sophisticated mapping and analytics tools, as well as the enhanced air quality monitoring network, will help identify communities most at risk from factors such as air pollution, extreme heat, or urban flooding. 

The council is committed to taking actions to improve air quality, identifying areas where levels of local air pollutants are exceeding air quality objectives and working with the community to reduce the pollutants and their effects on health. Find out more about the work we are doing.

Find out more

You can also find out more about our ambitions to become a Carbon Neutral Council by 2030, a Net Zero Borough by 2043 and how you can get involved. Read our strategy, reports and action plan to see how we tackle climate change in the borough.