Request ID: FOI-1455-2324 Date published: 04 September 2023
You asked
When did tfl last carry out an air quality check in the Borough of Bromley.
What were the readings/measurements.
How do they compare to existing ULEZ zone measurements.
What change do you anticipate post ULEZ implementation.
How many vehicles in the Borough of Bromley are not compliant.
How many deaths in the Borough of Bromley have been directly attributed to air quality issues in the past 10 years.
We answered
Our Ref: FOI-1455-2324 Thank you for your request received on 8 August 2023 asking for information about the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ). Your request has been considered in accordance with the requirements of the Environmental Information Regulations (EIR) and our information access policy. I can confirm that we hold some of the information you require. You asked for: When did TfL last carry out an air quality check in the Borough of Bromley? TfL undertakes regular assessments of emissions and air quality across London using our London Atmospheric Emissions Inventory (LAEI), with details available here: https://data.london.gov.uk/dataset/london-atmospheric-emissions-inventory--laei--2019. The latest iteration of this relates to a 2019 base year. As part of our London-wide ULEZ expansion consultation in summer 2022, we published air quality monitoring data for Bromley, based on 2019 base year data from the LAEI. This can be found here: https://ehq-production-europe.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/847c777cea2e8bf6039a3306c18b9b7cc312ae2e/original/1652883383/e30c7f27c7228f6977c64ad3624091a0_London-wide_ULEZ_and_MTS_amendments_baseline_report_for_Integrated_Impact_Assessments_%286%29.pdf Ambient air quality in Bromley is also continuously monitored as part of the London Air website. Data can be found here: https://www.londonair.org.uk/london/asp/publicbulletin.asp?la_id=5. What were the readings/measurements Our consultation documents for the original proposals for the London-wide ULEZ, published last year, include Appendix J “London-wide ULEZ and MTS Revision Baseline Report for ULEZ Scheme IIA and MTS IIA”, which shows Bromley data in Table 2-5: https://ehq-production-europe.s3.eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/847c777cea2e8bf6039a3306c18b9b7cc312ae2e/original/1652883383/e30c7f27c7228f6977c64ad3624091a0_London-wide_ULEZ_and_MTS_amendments_baseline_report_for_Integrated_Impact_Assessments_%286%29.pdf Table 2-5 shows the 2019 annual average population weighted pollutant concentrations for Bromley to be: NO2 – 23 µg/m3 PM10 – 14.6 µg/m3 PM2.5 – 10 µg/m3 How do they compare to existing ULEZ zone measurements? Table 2-4 of the above document shows the 2019 annual average population weighted pollutant concentrations within Central, Inner, Outer, and Greater London. The measurements for the existing ULEZ zone (inner London) are as follows: NO2 – 31.5 µg/m3 PM10 – 18 µg/m3 PM2.5 – 11.3 µg/m3 What change do you anticipate post ULEZ implementation? As part of the consultation last year, we showed forecasts that we had modelled of air pollutant emissions in Bromley in 2023 with the London-wide ULEZ and without. The London-wide ULEZ expansion is expected to result in £8.4m in health benefits in Outer London in 2023. Of this £485,951 is in Bromley (see Table 6 of Appendix A of the Integrated Impact Assessment (IIA)) The IIA can be found on our consultation webpage, on the right hand side under ‘Key Documents’ https://haveyoursay.tfl.gov.uk/cleanair. Appendix D of the IIA: Table 9-1, shows the London-wide ULEZ is estimated to reduce road traffic NOx emissions from cars and motorcycles in Bromley by 10.7% per annum, compared to without the scheme. For all vehicles, the reduction is estimated to be 8.1%. Table 9-2 shows the London-wide ULEZ is estimated to reduce road traffic PM10 emissions by 2.4% from cars and motorcycles in Bromley, compared to without the scheme. For all vehicles, the reduction is estimated to be 1.7%. Table 9-3 shows the London-wide ULEZ is estimated to reduce road traffic PM2.5 emissions by 3.1% from cars and motorcycles in Bromley, compared to without the scheme. For all vehicles, the reduction is estimated to be 2.4%. Table 9-6 shows as a result of the scheme that in Bromley 18,500 fewer people will live in areas exceeding the lowest WHO interim target of 20μg/m3 for NO2, and that 1,900 fewer people will live in areas exceeding the lowest WHO interim target of 10μg/m3 for PM2.5. How many vehicles in the Borough of Bromley are not compliant? We do not hold information on compliance rates for the number of vehicles seen driving within the zone within a specific borough. The compliance levels of vehicles on London roads over time have been published in peer-reviewed reports assessing the impacts of the ULEZ, including the most recent Inner London ULEZ Expansion 1-year report. In the lead up to ULEZ expansion London-wide from 29 August 2023, we are continuing to monitor compliance rates in outer London. The data for outer London (in November 2022) shows that 9 out of 10 cars seen driving on an average day meet the ULEZ emissions standards, so their drivers will not need to pay the ULEZ daily charge or take any action ahead of the London-wide ULEZ expansion. In terms of compliance of vehicles registered to addresses in Bromley, we are currently unable to provide the information requested as TfL has recently received representations from a third party, which TfL is considering, that disclosure of this information would adversely affect their rights and that relevant exemptions to disclosure under the EIRs apply. The third party has alleged that the requested information would be exempt from disclosure under Regulation 12(5)(c) of the EIRs. TfL has, therefore, provisionally exempted the requested information from disclosure on that basis until the consideration of this matter is concluded. We recognise the inherent public interest in transparency by public authorities, particularly as the ULEZ expansion is a complex issue which is subject to wider discussion and debate. However, at this moment in time, TfL must complete its consideration of this matter before it can put the requested information into the public domain. On balance we believe that there is a greater public interest in allowing us time to complete our consideration of these issues. How many deaths in the Borough of Bromley have been directly attributed to air quality issues in the past 10 years? We do not have data on the number of deaths attributable to air pollution in Bromley in the past 10 years. City Hall commissioned a report by Imperial College, which is home to the world’s leading centre for the study of air pollution. Their report found that ‘in 2019, in Greater London, the equivalent of between 3,600 to 4,100 deaths were estimated to be attributable to air pollution, considering that health effects exist even at very low levels. This calculation is for deaths from all causes including respiratory, lung cancer and cardiovascular deaths’. The report goes into detail as to how the statistic was calculated and provides a breakdown by borough, measured in life years lost, in the summary tables. Bromley is mentioned in Table 21, which shows that in 2019, between 172 and 204 deaths were attributable to air pollution in Bromley. Taking the 204 estimate, this is equivalent to 7.7% of all deaths within the borough. https://www.london.gov.uk/sites/default/files/london_health_burden_of_current_air_pollution_and_future_health_benefits_of_mayoral_air_quality_policies_january2020.pdf If this is not the information you are looking for, or if you are unable to access it for any reason, please do not hesitate to contact me. Please see the attached information sheet for details of your right to appeal. Yours sincerely Gemma Jacob Senior FOI Case Officer FOI Case Management Team General Counsel Transport for London
