London woke beneath a thick, grey shroud on Monday as the city issued a high air pollution alert, warning residents that dense fog and still winds had allowed harmful particles to gather over the weekend. Mayor Sadiq Khan urged Londoners, especially children, older people and those with health conditions, to limit their exposure to the polluted air, reported by The Nation.
Forecasters at Imperial College London advised the mayor to trigger the alert after fog and very light winds allowed pollution to accumulate and linger into Monday morning. Smoke from Bonfire Night and Diwali fireworks, along with wood burning, is also believed to have made the air quality worse.
The warning comes as the Met Office issued a yellow fog alert for parts of England and Wales, covering an area from Luton to Manchester. Forecasters warned that visibility could fall below 100 metres overnight, creating dangerous driving conditions and possible delays on roads, railways and at airports.
Londoners have been encouraged to walk, cycle or use public transport instead of driving, avoid unnecessary car journeys, and refrain from burning wood or garden waste at home. City Hall has also asked drivers to switch off engines when stationary and consider sharing journeys where possible.
The pollution alert is the fourth issued in London this year, underlining the growing pressure on the capital to improve its air quality. Mete Coban, the deputy mayor for environment and energy, said air pollution contributes to thousands of premature deaths in London every year and called on residents to protect those most at risk.
The fog had already caused serious disruption over the weekend. On Saturday, a crash involving more than 30 vehicles forced the closure of part of the M20 motorway in Kent, leaving two people seriously injured.
Met Office chief meteorologist Jason Kelly said persistent high pressure, clear skies and weak November sunshine had created ideal conditions for fog to form. He added that increasing cloud cover and stronger winds should prevent further widespread fog later in the week.
As the fog slowly lifts, Londoners face a colder, frostier few days but the city’s struggle with polluted air remains far from over.
