Following on from yesterday’s story in Highways News about the positive effects on children’s health that London’s Ultra-Low Emission Zone was proved to he having, Douglas Gilmour, Global Traffic Lead at TomTom, has reiterated the importance of considering the wider next step – using traffic intelligence to help cities identify where people, and in particular children, face the greatest exposure to traffic and road danger, and make better decisions on road space, public transport, active travel and avoidable stop-start journeys.

Children whose lung growth had been stunted by air pollution showed a striking recovery after London introduced its Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ), according to new research.

Scientists say they were “stunned” by the speed at which children’s lungs appeared to catch up with those of children living in a less polluted area, providing what they believe is some of the strongest evidence yet that clean air zones can reduce the damage caused by pollution during childhood.

Researchers from the Universities of Bedfordshire, Oxford, Cambridge, Edinburgh and Southern California followed more than 3,400 primary school children in London and Luton for five years.

Says Gilmour:

“These findings are a welcome reminder that decisions about how we move around our cities can have a real impact on people’s health, particularly for children. Clean-air measures such as ULEZ are designed to reduce harmful vehicle emissions. But creating healthier cities also means looking at the wider journey. That includes making streets safer, easier to navigate and less dependent on unnecessary vehicle movements.

“Cities need a clear view of where traffic builds up and where people – especially children – are most exposed to pollution or road danger. Traffic data helps authorities make more informed decisions about managing road space, supporting public transport and active travel, and reducing avoidable stop-start journeys.”

(Picture: TfL)