£6m to tackle local pollution hot spots in London

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has invited boroughs to bid for a share of £6 million funding to help target local pollution and improve air quality.
 
The funding, which is part of the £20 million Mayor’s Air Quality Fund, will be used to establish four more Low Emission Neighbourhoods (LENs), cut emissions from construction machinery, create car-free and low-emission streets, and support people and businesses to start using ultra-low emission vehicles.
 
Sadiq launched the latest funding round as he visited business owners on Francis Road in Leyton who have helped reduce traffic pollution by using a cargo bike and electric vehicle delivery service, supported by a £400,000 City Hall Air Quality Fund grant.
 
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan said: “Our filthy toxic air is a national health crisis, contributing to tens of thousands of premature deaths in the UK every year. The bold action we’ve already delivered such as establishing Low Emission Bus Zones, cleaning up the bus and taxi fleets and delivering the T-Charge in central London, are starting to have a positive impact. Today’s funding will help boroughs to deliver targeted action to complement these strong measures and improve their local areas for the benefit of all Londoners.
 
“Despite all that I’m doing here in London, we can’t win this battle until the government provides extra resources and delivers a national scrappage fund to get the dirtiest vehicles off our streets and a new Clean Air Act fit for the 21st century.”