London nitrogen dioxide levels fall to legal limit

Source: Greater London Authority (GLA), 30 September 2025

The level of toxic nitrogen dioxide pollution (NO2) in the air in London has fallen to within the legal limit for the first time since UK regulations were introduced in 2010, government data reveals.

The figures, external, published by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), revealed that London met the air quality standards rules in 2024, while Manchester, Birmingham and Liverpool exceeded those limits.

NO2 is a toxic gas that is known to exacerbate asthma and impede lung development and it is among a range of air pollutants measured and regulated under UK law., external

In 2019, experts at Kings College London estimated that without further action, it would take 193 years for London to meet government-set limits.

According to a City Hall report earlier this year, there were nearly 100,000 fewer non Ulez-compliant vehicles detected in London on an average day in September 2024 compared with June 2023.