'Our plan for cleaner air in Camden'

Without it, we cannot understand whether we are on track to meet World Health Organization air quality standards. Camden Council has committed to achieving WHO levels by 2034 – these go beyond the ‘legal’ limits mandated by the government.

The good news is that, over the last year, nitrogen dioxide levels have fallen at 28 of Camden’s 40 monitoring sites.

Encouragingly, some of our busiest streets, such as Kentish Town Road, are now within legal limits. And another key type of air pollution, particulate matter, is also showing improvements: at our Swiss Cottage monitoring station, this has declined by an average of 36% since 2011.

Cllr Adam Harrison is asking Camden residents to have their say on cleaning up air the quality (Image: Kareen Cox)

This is promising progress. But we need to go further, because we know there is no safe level of air pollution. Recent research from the Francis Crick Institute right here in Camden is a sharp reminder of this: its researchers have discovered how air pollution can cause lung cancer even among people who have never smoked.

To address this big challenge, we all need to make changes, such as ditching polluting vehicles for greener and healthier modes of transport, including walking and cycling wherever possible; tackling pollution from construction; and reducing the amount of pollution that comes from heating buildings. This includes ceasing to use wood-burning stoves and fireplaces – by far the most polluting forms of heating – and in built-up areas can have a terrible impact on your immediate neighbours as smoke drifts into their homes.

Improving air quality in Camden requires the combined input and effort from all our communities, businesses and organisations.

Building on our work over the past four years, we have launched a consultation on our new Clean Air Action Plan for 2022-2026.

This plan sets out actions to pursue over the coming four years to ensure we stay on track. These include further cutting emissions from buildings, transport, and construction. We also want to lobby for action on sources of pollution outside our direct control, such as pressing the government to invest in electrifying rail; diesel trains affect numerous parts of the borough.

I urge all residents to have their say and help us make further progress to clean up our air.

You can comment on Camden’s Clean Air Action Plan until October 16 at consultations.wearecamden.org And, if you’d like to read the latest annual monitoring report in more detail, please head to camden.gov.uk/airquality

Councillor Adam Harrison is cabinet member for a Sustainable Camden, Camden Council.