Yesterday (18th March 2019) London breached European and UK air quality limit values for the year. The first measured breach took place at the Lambeth – Bondway Interchange measurement site and was for PM10 particle pollution. This monitoring site, to the south of Vauxhall Bridge is close to traffic and many construction sites. The exact cause of the PM10 particle problems at this location will be subject to detailed investigation, however, initial analysis indicates a combination of particle pollution from nearby traffic as well as local construction.

Legal limits for PM10 allow 35 days per year with a mean concentration greater than 50 micrograms per cubic metre. The 18th March was the 36th day this year.

Whilst much policy and media attention is focused on nitrogen dioxide, this breach of the limit value for PM10 shows the complexity of urban air pollution sources.