London congestion charge 'increases life expectancy'
Congestion charging in London has improved the life expectancy of inhabitants
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Thursday, 28, Feb 2008 08:57
The congestion charging zone has increased the life expectancy of people living within its borders, a new study has concluded.
Researchers found that the scheme has had a "modest benefit" on levels of air pollution, particularly on nitrogen dioxide (NO2).
This reduction was most noticeable in the most deprived areas of the capital.
The study, published today in the journal Occupational and Environmental Medicine, says that congestion charging has resulted in 1,888 extra years of life gained across the seven million people living in Greater London and 683 years of life gained across the population in the congestion-charging zone wards (approximately 370,000 people).
Researchers from King's College London and the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine studied models of annual levels of air pollution based on measurements of changes in traffic flow across London.
The congestion charge was brought in five years ago by the Mayor of London in an attempt to ease traffic in central London during working hours.
There was little change in pollutant levels in London as a whole but there were more substantial falls in the charging zones.
"The congestion charging scheme, a localised scheme targeting traffic congestion, appears to have modest benefit on air pollution levels and associated life expectancy," the researchers conclude.
"Greater reductions in air pollution in more deprived areas are likely to make a small contribution to reducing socioeconomic inequalities in air pollution impacts."