The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has announced an additional £6 million in funding for local projects aimed at reducing air pollution across the capital. The funding, unveiled on Clean Air Day, will be made available through the fifth round of the Mayor’s Air Quality Fund.
Since its launch, the Mayor’s Air Quality Fund has distributed £27 million to boroughs through four funding rounds. This investment has been supported by an additional £20 million in matched funding and in-kind contributions from local authorities and partner organisations. Previous projects have included green courier schemes, walking and cycling infrastructure, measures to reduce emissions from construction machinery, and Low Emission Neighbourhood initiatives.
The Mayor also marked Clean Air Day with a series of events across London. Earlier this week, Transport for London announced that the capital now has 3,000 zero-emission buses in operation, representing around one-third of its bus fleet. London’s zero-emission bus network has grown significantly over the past decade, from 30 electric buses in 2016.
According to City Hall, projects supported through the first three rounds of the Air Quality Fund have delivered a range of outcomes. These include the creation of 25 clean air walking and cycling routes, the installation of more than 400 electric vehicle charging points, the planting of over 900 trees, and the delivery of 89 school streets. More than 700,000 people have also been reached through air quality awareness campaigns.
The fourth round of funding, launched in March 2024, allocated £5.3 million to 17 projects covering 26 boroughs. City Hall estimates that in their first year these projects reduced particulate matter emissions by around 230 kilograms, cut vehicle travel by approximately 57,000 kilometres, and engaged more than 12,000 residents and businesses.
Deputy Mayor for Environment and Energy, Mete Coban, said: ‘The Great Smog brought London to a standstill 75 years ago and claimed thousands of lives. The introduction of the Clean Air Act in 1956 showed that big problems need bold action. This is why the Mayor has worked tirelessly to clean up London’s air since he was elected in 2016.’
Jane Burston OBE, CEO of the Clean Air Fund added: ‘It’s encouraging to see London’s bold progress towards cleaner air in recent years. Reaching legal limits for nitrogen dioxide shows that city-led action can make a real difference to air quality and public health. The Mayor’s new funding for boroughs is a welcome opportunity to continue tackling air pollution in the neighbourhoods where people live, work and go to school, building on the progress driven by initiatives like Breathe London, equipping communities with real-time air quality data. We look forward to continuing our work with the Mayor and our partners to deliver cleaner and healthier futures for all Londoners.’
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