Air pollution in London

Air pollution has beening a hot topic all over the world.

What does air pollution do to our bodies?

The countdown has begun to the launch of one of the world's boldest attempts to tackle air pollution.

The aim is to deter the dirtiest vehicles in an effort to reduce diseases and premature deaths.

The initiative comes as scientists say the impacts of air pollution are more serious than previously thought.

But over the last few decades, research has revealed how gases like nitrogen dioxide and tiny particles, known as particulate matter or PM, can reach deep into the body with the danger of causing lasting damage.

Air pollution: How damaging are idling cars and buses?

Public Health England has been talking about the steps that can be taken to reduce air pollution.

One of its recommendations is to stop vehicles idling close to places such as schools and hospitals.

A project commissioned by the Mayor of London's office in 2016 measured changes in pollution after a series of "action days", during which teams of volunteers patrolled the streets in four areas of London, asking drivers to turn off their engines.

The researchers said the Wandsworth location was particularly well-suited to the study, whereas in the more central locations, vans and lorries spread out along the street rather than being concentrated in one location. This made it harder to measure a strong signal.

A piece of research in the US, published in 2013, looked at air quality in four schools before and after campaigns to stop vehicles idling.

It found that there had been significant reductions in air pollution at the schools with more buses - those with fewer buses did not see a significant reduction in the concentration of air pollutants.

Transport for London says it tells its bus drivers to turn off their engines at bus stands and when regulating the service, and adds that it will ensure all buses in London have zero-emission engines by 2037.

Wood burners and open fires face restrictions in new clean air plan

Wood burning stoves, open fires and farms all face new restrictions as the government sets out what it calls a "world leading" plan to tackle air pollution.

In their Clean Air Strategy, published today, the government promises to set a "bold new goal" to reduce particulates across much of the country by 2030.

But green groups say the scheme is vague and severely lacking in detail.

They believe the plan proposes nothing new to tackle roadside dirty air.

The new strategy, which is focused on tackling air pollution in England, has been launched just days after the family of a nine-year-old girl who died from asthma were given permission to apply for a fresh inquest into her death.

The government's chief lawyer heard new evidence her death could be linked to unlawful levels of air pollution.