Read: Air quality soars in school streets that banished cars

Closing roads around schools to traffic at pick-up and drop-off times has cut toxic nitrogen dioxide levels by up to 23 per cent, research has found.

Pollution sensors were installed at 18 primary schools in the London boroughs of Brent, Enfield and Lambeth in September. Half had introduced “school streets” in which traffic was temporarily banned and the other half had no restrictions.

The biggest difference was found at Kingfisher Hall Primary Academy in Enfield, where parent volunteers operated traffic barriers from 8.15 to 9.15am and 2.45 to 3.45pm, Monday to Friday.

The school street has cut NO2, which is largely produced by diesel vehicles, by 23 per cent in the morning compared with schools without traffic restrictions.

Read the full story in The Times

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