The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has triggered a ‘high’ air pollution alert for Saturday as London experiences the effects of pollution caused by a build-up of local emissions and sunny weather with high temperatures.
Imperial College London forecasters advised the Mayor to issue the alert due to a likelihood of high ozone levels, caused by the hot, sunny weather tomorrow. It is expected that the ozone levels will remain elevated across the weekend.
This is the 5th high air pollution alert this year. The last alert was in June.
Tomorrow will be the 219th day of either moderate or high levels of air pollution Londoners have experienced since the start of 2018. In total there have been 15 high pollution days (not including tomorrow) and 203 moderate pollution days since the start of 2018.
City Hall issues alerts to Londoners, schools and local boroughs when moderate, high, or very high air pollution is forecast. High air pollution alerts are also displayed at public locations across London, including all bus stop countdown signs, as well as on the Underground.
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: ”The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: ”London’s toxic air is responsible for around 4,000 premature deaths in the capital each year, which is why I am doing everything in my power to tackle it, including expanding the Ultra Low Emission Zone to all of London. On Saturday, alongside the current high temperatures, we will also experience high levels of air pollution.
“Pollution and heat can be a dangerous combination, which is why I’m urging Londoners to look after themselves, stop their engines idling and refrain from burning wood or garden waste, all of which contribute to high levels of pollution. This is particularly important in order to protect those who are most vulnerable and help us to build a safer and greener London for all.”
