Emergency hospital admissions fell after introduction of London’s T-charge and Ulez, study suggests
Summary
A study has found that emergency hospital admissions in central London dropped after two clean air schemes, the T-charge and Ultra-Low Emission Zone (Ulez), were introduced to reduce air pollution. The reductions were especially clear for heart and breathing problems, showing a link between cleaner air and better health.Key Facts
- The T-charge began in 2017 as an extra charge on older, more polluting vehicles in central London.
- The Ulez started in 2019 with stricter rules to cut vehicle emissions further.
- Emergency hospital admissions in central London were rising by 3% per year before the schemes.
- After the schemes started, admissions dropped by 3% per year overall.
- Admissions for heart problems fell by 8% and for breathing problems by 6%.
- The study compared central London to other similar areas to make sure the results were due to the clean air zones.
- The effect on breathing-related admissions was less certain, possibly because the study looked only at adults.
- Researchers say cleaner air zones can improve public health by lowering pollution levels.
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