London parents report fewer asthma symptoms and ‘enjoyable’ school run – Ulez
Study shows Ultra Low Emission Zones (Ulez) have benefitted school gates, but calls for cheaper and more reliable driving alternatives in greater London boroughs.
The rising costs and reduced convenience of car travel due to Ulez charges has made active travel more appealing, according to families who participated in a recent Cambridge and Queen Mary’s study. Active travel involves walking and cycling to school.
Participants reported spending more time outside on the school run, enjoying the cleaner air and feeling safer with fewer cars on the roads made them safer.
Teachers also reported a reduction in asthma related symptoms.
“From an equalities point of view, it’s really important to highlight the positive effect this has had in Central London, because a lot of the families living there that are maybe more vulnerable to air pollution had really positive experience of the Ulez”, says lead researcher Olivia Alliott.
Where it potentially exacerbated inequalities was outer London, she added, “where you need more resources to switch to active travel modes as the transport is a bit less dense and regular, and more expensive than central London.”
Other challenges included cycle lanes ending, causing cycling as a mode of transport to be less safe than where cycle lanes were more prominent.
Overall improvement in air quality
According to City Hall, nitrogen dioxide concentrations in the capital are 27% lower than they would have been without the Ulez and its expansions.
The concentrations have improved at a faster rate than the rest of England over the same time period, between 2017 and 2024.
The report, published on Friday, also highlighted that the rate of improvement was particularly rapid in outer London. In the South London boroughs of Sutton, Croydon, and Merton, emissions had decreased by 15% – boroughs that originally opposed the expansion.
Exercise and reduced emissions
Ian Dench has run the walking bus at his children’s school since 2023.
“We know that doing half an hour of exercise before you go to school makes you more focused, it even improves motor skills” says Claire McDonald, a spokesperson for campaign group Mums for Lungs. It’s so important for them to be walking, running, skipping and connecting with their friends to build a sense of community, she added.
Some schools have signed up to Transport for London’s (TfL) ‘Travel for Life’ scheme, where they can receive a gold accreditation for their school by reducing car use by 6% or if 90% of school journeys are made via public transport.
“Some schools have made a real effort to get rid of parking at their school, so that kids can see that teachers are travelling actively” says Alliott. Walking buses and cycle proficiency training have been really important in encouraging green travel.
Alternatives to driving
Alliott says: the capacity for Ulez to both narrow and exacerbate inequities across different travel contexts suggests when developing such schemes, more emphasis needs to be placed on providing accessible and affordable alternatives to driving.
The Mayor’s Transport Strategy includes walking and cycling action plans, aiming to enable active, inclusive and safe travel with accessible and well-designed routes.
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HeadlineLondon parents report fewer asthma symptoms and ‘enjoyable’ school run – Ulez
Short HeadlineHow Ulez changed the school run
StandfirstStudy shows Ultra Low Emission Zones (Ulez) have benefitted school gates, but calls for cheaper and more reliable driving alternatives in greater London boroughs.
The rising costs and reduced convenience of car travel due to Ulez charges has made active travel more appealing, according to families who participated in a recent Cambridge and Queen Mary’s study. Active travel involves walking and cycling to school.
Participants reported spending more time outside on the school run, enjoying the cleaner air and feeling safer with fewer cars on the roads made them safer.
Teachers also reported a reduction in asthma related symptoms.
“From an equalities point of view, it’s really important to highlight the positive effect this has had in Central London, because a lot of the families living there that are maybe more vulnerable to air pollution had really positive experience of the Ulez”, says lead researcher Olivia Alliott.
Where it potentially exacerbated inequalities was outer London, she added, “where you need more resources to switch to active travel modes as the transport is a bit less dense and regular, and more expensive than central London.”
Other challenges included cycle lanes ending, causing cycling as a mode of transport to be less safe than where cycle lanes were more prominent.
Overall improvement in air quality
According to City Hall, nitrogen dioxide concentrations in the capital are 27% lower than they would have been without the Ulez and its expansions.
The concentrations have improved at a faster rate than the rest of England over the same time period, between 2017 and 2024.
The report, published on Friday, also highlighted that the rate of improvement was particularly rapid in outer London. In the South London boroughs of Sutton, Croydon, and Merton, emissions had decreased by 15% – boroughs that originally opposed the expansion.
Exercise and reduced emissions
Ian Dench has run the walking bus at his children’s school since 2023.
“We know that doing half an hour of exercise before you go to school makes you more focused, it even improves motor skills” says Claire McDonald, a spokesperson for campaign group Mums for Lungs. It’s so important for them to be walking, running, skipping and connecting with their friends to build a sense of community, she added.
Some schools have signed up to Transport for London’s (TfL) ‘Travel for Life’ scheme, where they can receive a gold accreditation for their school by reducing car use by 6% or if 90% of school journeys are made via public transport.
“Some schools have made a real effort to get rid of parking at their school, so that kids can see that teachers are travelling actively” says Alliott. Walking buses and cycle proficiency training have been really important in encouraging green travel.
Alternatives to driving
Alliott says: the capacity for Ulez to both narrow and exacerbate inequities across different travel contexts suggests when developing such schemes, more emphasis needs to be placed on providing accessible and affordable alternatives to driving.
The Mayor’s Transport Strategy includes walking and cycling action plans, aiming to enable active, inclusive and safe travel with accessible and well-designed routes.
