We all know the air quality in London isn’t great. In fact, it’s pretty worrying – especially when we look at the levels in our widely-used tube network.
A recent study by Cambridge University academics, published in December 2022, found that ultrafine particles – those primarily generated by friction from wheels, tracks and brakes – are found in ‘abundance’ on the Underground. The study said that it ‘could have particularly adverse health impacts as their smaller size makes it possible to pass from lungs to the blood stream’.
Thankfully, new technology is about to be trialled in an attempt to improve the air on the Underground. Transport for London will be deploying the tech at Baker Street and Green Park stations this winter, tackling dust on the network.
The Mayor’s Budget for 2024/25 said: ‘In winter 2023/24, we will trial a new air filtration system at Baker Street and Green Park stations. We are funding the trial as part of our work to test innovative solutions to improve air quality on the Underground.’
They’ll also be funding a team to explore the capturing and re-use of thermal energy from the tube’s ventilation shafts, which could then be used by external suppliers for nearby buildings.
Want to find out more about how the capital is tackling pollution? Take a read of our interview with clean air campaigner Rosamund Adoo-Kissi-Debrah, our 2023 Time Out Community Hero of the Year.
Did you see that a Queen Elizabeth II memorial garden is coming to Regent’s Park?
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