Mayor announces further £6m for boroughs to tackle air pollution, marking Clean Air Day
- Against the backdrop of the 70th anniversary of the Clean Air Act, the Mayor has announced £6m for the Mayor’s Air Quality Fund for innovative projects to reduce air pollution
- Boroughs can apply for this fifth tranche of funding later in the summer
- Previous rounds of the Fund have already supported over 100 projects helping boroughs to cut pollution.
The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has today, on Clean Air Day, announced a further £6 million of funding to clean up the capital’s toxic air. Through this latest tranche of funding from the Mayor’s Air Quality Fund boroughs will be able to apply for funding for local projects tackling air pollution across the city. The announcement comes against the backdrop of the anniversary of the Clean Air Act which was introduced on 5 July 1956 after the Great Smog of 1951, which brought London to a standstill and claimed thousands of lives.
The Mayor’s Air Quality Fund has so far distributed £27 million to boroughs through four funding rounds, matched by a further £20 million in funding and in-kind support from London’s boroughs and local partners. Projects delivered so far have ranged from green courier initiatives and infrastructure to support walking and cycling, to schemes reducing emissions from construction machinery and the implementation of Low Emission Neighbourhoods.
The Mayor is marking Clean Air Day with a host of events taking place this week which champion clean air. On Monday the capital’s iconic red buses reached a major green milestone, with 3,000 zero-emission buses now in operation - around a third of TfL’s fleet. Already recognised as having the largest zero-emission bus fleet in Western Europe, London has seen a rapid 100-fold increase over the past decade, from just 30 electric buses in 2016.
On Tuesday the first ever Breathe London Awards took place, celebrating outstanding projects, schools, hospitals and community groups using air quality data to improve health and tackle air pollution across London. Winners across five categories including Health and Wellbeing, Storytelling and Community Collaboration won £500 to go towards their air quality projects, supported by Breathe Cities. These awards were hosted by Deputy Mayor for the Environment, Mete Coban, in partnership with VodafoneThree, Bloomberg Philanthropies and Clean Air Fund. Today, the Deputy Mayor for Environment and Energy, Mete Coban, will be marking Clean Air Day with a number of events, including attending a Clean Air Fund Parliamentary reception and hosting an air quality action event with young people.
The Mayor’s wider pioneering policies to tackle London’s air pollution, including the implementation and expansion of London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ), the world’s biggest clean air zone, led to nitrogen dioxide (NO2) levels falling to within the legal limits for the first time in 2024. Sadiq achieved this important milestone almost 200 years ahead of predictions from leading experts, demonstrating the transformative impact of his bold policies to improve London’s air quality and protect Londoners’ health and the environment (1). Earlier this month a study by Imperial also found the T-charge and ULEZ are associated with a fall in hospital admissions in London – revealing that since their introduction, the schemes were linked to 8.1 per cent reductions in yearly trends for cardiovascular disease, 6.2 per cent for respiratory disease and 3.1 per cent for all cause-related hospital admissions in the scheme area.
Projects supported by the first three funding rounds of the Mayor’s Air Quality Fund have demonstrated measurable benefit in improving air quality across London, including:
- 25 new clean air routes - designated walking and cycling routes that offer lower-pollution alternatives to busier, more polluted main roads. These routes are signposted, and interactive online maps allow people to choose a clean air route option.
- 400+ new and upgraded electric vehicle charge points
- 900+ trees planted
- 1,300+ cycle parking spaces
- 2,400+ site audits of construction machinery carried out
- 89 school streets delivered
- 4,200+ square meters of green spaces created
- 700,000+ people engaged through air quality campaigns
- 8,500+ businesses engaged and supported to cut emissions
- 17,000+ pupils engaged to reduce exposure to harmful pollution
Round four of the Fund was launched in March 2024, with £5.3 million funding dedicated to helping boroughs tackle toxic air. Seventeen projects received funding covering 26 boroughs, running from April 2024 to March 2027. In their first year, Round Four projects have already reduced PM emissions by an estimated 230kg, reduced total distance driven by an estimated 57,000km and engaged over 12,000 residents and businesses.
The fifth round of the Mayor’s Air Quality Fund announced today will open to boroughs later in the summer.
Sadiq will continue working to tackle air pollution by the delivery of an extensive package of measures including the Mayor’s Air Quality Fund, electrifying London’s bus fleet and expanding London’s EV charging network. His award-winning Breathe London project, delivered with Bloomberg Philanthropies and Breathe Cities, has also been extended, providing air quality monitoring in key locations around the capital, enabling Londoners to view real-time, hyperlocal air quality data in their area and take action to tackle air pollution.
Deputy Mayor for Environment and Energy, Mete Coban, said: “The Great Smog brought London to a standstill 75 years ago and claimed thousands of lives. The introduction of the Clean Air Act in 1956 showed that big problems need bold action. This is why the Mayor has worked tirelessly to clean up London’s air since he was elected in 2016 and today, on Clean Air Day, we want to celebrate all that London has done together to tackle air pollution in the capital.
“The Mayor’s Air Quality Fund has already inspired impressive changes, from new Healthy School Streets and green transport grants to segregated cycle lanes and school workshops. By investing a further £6 million, we will empower community organisations and boroughs to develop projects that reduce air pollution across the capital, improving the health of millions as we continue to build a greener, fairer city.”
Ali Howes, Senior Transport Planner, for the MAQF’s Zero Emissions Network said: “The MAQF’s support of the Zero Emissions Network (ZEN) has enabled a unique collaboration across five London boroughs reducing transport emissions and improving air quality. ZEN is driving lasting behaviour change by breaking down barriers to low-carbon transport through a comprehensive, multi-layered programme of engagement, innovative public hire scheme, cargo bike trials, grants, leases and training as well as immersive community events. With support from the GLA sponsors, ZEN has been targeting areas of high pollution across the City of London, Hackney, Newham, Tower Hamlets and Westminster. Cross-borough cooperation has benefitted the project greatly, increasing the impact and efficiency of our work. This would not have been possible without the support of the GLA and we are excited that a new round of funding will be available to support innovative projects improving air quality across London.”
David Rowe, TfL’s Director of Investment Planning, said: “Cleaning up the capital’s air is a challenge that needs to be tackled by public authorities working together with interventions both large and small. It is only with this holistic approach that we will improve the health of people in this city and make it an even more attractive place to live, work and visit. The Mayor’s Air Quality Fund has acted as a catalyst in supporting the London boroughs to come up with innovative schemes that make a real difference to the lives of Londoners. From clean air routes, to new electric vehicle charging points and zero emission networks where we have seen a switch to cargo and e-bikes for deliveries and getting around, the look and feel of the capital’s neighbourhoods has been transformed. We look forward to seeing what interesting ideas local councils have for investing this latest round of funding in sustainable projects in their area.”
Jane Burston OBE, CEO of the Clean Air Fund said: “It’s encouraging to see London’s bold progress towards cleaner air in recent years. Reaching legal limits for nitrogen dioxide shows that city-led action can make a real difference to air quality and public health. The Mayor’s new funding for boroughs is a welcome opportunity to continue tackling air pollution in the neighbourhoods where people live, work and go to school, building on the progress driven by initiatives like Breathe London, equipping communities with real-time air quality data. We look forward to continuing our work with the Mayor and our partners to deliver cleaner and healthier futures for all Londoners.”
Notes to editors
Applications for boroughs to apply for Round 5 funding will open later in the summer. Funding for Round 5 is planned to be awarded in spring 2027, with projects to be delivered between the 27/28 and 29/30 financial years. The current round of the Mayor’s Air Quality Fund (Round 4) runs until March 2027.
· (1) London meets legal limits for toxic NO2 pollution for the first time – almost 200 years earlier than predicted – following the Mayor’s world leading air pollution policies: https://www.london.gov.uk/london-meets-legal-limits-toxic-no2-pollution-first-time-almost-200-years-earlier-predicted
· More information about the Mayor’s Air Quality Fund can be found here: https://www.london.gov.uk/programmes-and-strategies/environment-and-climate-change/pollution-and-air-quality/mayors-air-quality-fund
Examples of clean air routes include:
- Borough High Street BLEN (Business Low Emission Neighbourhood): Encouraged people to use quieter less polluted streets in this busy and congested area by identifying two new clean air routes, including one to Guys Hospital. The project also introduced public-realm improvements and green infrastructure.
- Euston BLEN: Developed a clean air route between Euston Station and Regents Park with greening and public realm improvements, and art installation and signage. The route also directed people towards independent shops and restaurants on Drummond Street, helping to support these businesses.
- Hammersmith BLEN: Introduced a new clean air route linking Hammersmith Station to the Riverside.
- The Northbank BLEN: Created a network of eight clean air routes with enhanced public spaces, supported with wayfinding and extensive promotion.
- Clean Air Better Businesses 11 (CABB 2): Brought together multiple central London boroughs and Business Improvement Districts to identify and promote 13 clean air walking routes across five boroughs. The project also commissioned and publicised research demonstrating that side streets have 30-60% lower air pollution, and developed a Clean Air Route Finder to help people find cleaner walking and cycling routes.
Live projects supported by the Mayor’s Air Quality Fund include:
· The Healthy Waterways project, which brings together 14 boroughs to reduce emissions from boats along London’s canals and rivers, helping create cleaner, healthier waterside environments for local communities. In its first year (2024–2025), the project engaged the boating community through a comprehensive survey to understand air quality, health and climate resilience challenges, and will use the findings to shape recommendations that will support cleaner boating practices. A dedicated project website and outreach materials have been developed to raise awareness and encourage behaviour change across the waterways network.
· The Idling Action Project is a 20-borough partnership working to cut harmful emissions from commercial-sector engine idling, particularly around busy roads and high exposure areas. Building on the successful MAQF Round 3 programme, the project is delivering engagement and training for fleet operators and driving instructors, strengthening policy and enforcement, and rolling out a behaviour change campaign. In its first year (2024–2025), the project ran a successful anti-idling media campaign, generating more than 70 million impressions across radio, digital and outdoor channels.
· The Zero Emission Network, delivered jointly by Hackney, Tower Hamlets, Newham and Westminster, is helping businesses and residents to switch to cargo bikes and e-bikes for deliveries and work travel. This work is reducing traffic, improving local air quality and creating safer, more pedestrian-friendly streets. In its first year (2024–2025), the project awarded 24 grants for cargo and e-bikes, reduced vehicle travel by almost 1,700 km, and engaged more than 1,800 businesses.
Past projects supported by the Mayor’s Air Quality Fund include:
- The Becontree Low Emission Neighbourhood, which transformed The Fiddlers in Dagenham into a greener, healthier, and more welcoming neighbourhood while making it easier for people to move around by bike and on foot. The project engaged the local community to install a new parklet with seating; paint a new primary school crossing to make it safer for children to get to school; narrow junctions to calm traffic; deliver new cycle parking; and plant new bee corridor with flower beds and trees. In addition to all the new infrastructure, the project also consulted almost 1,000 residents about the scheme, engaged over 200 students in sustainability, air quality, and street design workshops, and provided 750 bicycle repairs.
- The Walworth Low Emission Neighbourhood in Southwark led to an estimated 15 per cent reduction in car journeys in Walworth – one of London’s most diverse, yet deprived areas – providing traffic and pollution relief. Over 1,500 residents and 200 businesses and schools were consulted about the project, which helped to reduce rat-runs through residential areas, improve the flow of buses, create new green spaces, and encourage more people to walk, cycle and take public transport. In addition, Liverpool Grove was pedestrianised and transformed into a greener, cleaner community space, benefiting the local high street by making it a more attractive place to spend time and enjoy the area.