A high pollution alert has been issued in London for Tuesday as dense fog caused particle pollution levels to exceed World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines, threatening traffic disruptions and transport delays.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan said he was issuing a high air pollution alert for Tuesday (November 10) and urged everyone in the UK capital to “minimise their exposure” by following health advice. The mayor’s office said that smoke from Bonfire Night and Diwali fireworks were also likely contributors to the smog. “Please switch off engines when idling and avoid burning garden waste, which contributes to pollution,” he said.
The London Mayor advised people to contribute to reducing pollution by using public transport more frequently, switching off engines and avoiding unnecessary burning at home. Hillingdon in west London recorded the worst pollution reading, with PM2.5 levels reaching 129 micrograms per cubic metre at a 24-hour average, more than eight times the daily guidelines set by the WHO.
High levels of particle pollution are forecast for Tuesday after dense fog and very light winds allowed pollution to build up over the weekend, according to an official statement. Several north-western areas like Manchester Piccadilly, Wigan, Blackburn and Rochdale recorded “very high” pollution levels. Forecasters at Imperial College London advised Khan to sound the alert as government monitoring also recorded high pollution in the South East of England and East Midlands, according to Sky News. Mete Coban, the deputy mayor for environment and energy, said, “Toxic air is responsible for thousands of premature deaths in London each year, which is why the Mayor has done everything in his power to tackle it, which includes launching the world’s largest clean air zone.”
