London mayor issues 'high' air pollution alert after weekend of fog and fireworks
Sadiq Khan issued a 'high' air pollution alert for London on Tuesday after dense fog and fireworks smoke let particle pollution build up over the weekend.
London Mayor Sadiq Khan issued a "high" air pollution alert for the capital on Tuesday, after a weekend of dense fog and fireworks let particle pollution build up across the city, his office said.
Forecasters at Imperial College London advised Khan to trigger the alert, saying fog and very light winds had allowed pollution levels to climb over the weekend and carry over into Monday. Smoke from Bonfire Night and Diwali fireworks, and from wood burning, is also thought to have played a part.
Government monitoring recorded the South East and East Midlands as having "high" pollution, with Greater London rated "very high". Pollution maps showed the worst rating, 10, in the City of Westminster, Wandsworth, Lambeth, Merton, Ealing, Brent, Tower Hamlets, Greenwich and Bexley, while north London boroughs such as Haringey and Enfield had some of the clearest air, rated 2 or 4.
Deputy mayor for environment and energy Mete Coban pointed to the thousands of premature deaths linked to poor air quality in the city each year, and asked residents, especially those most at risk, to take precautions. The advice for Tuesday was to switch short car journeys to walking, cycling or public transport, and to avoid burning garden waste or wood at home.
This is the fourth "high" pollution alert issued in London this year; the previous one came in June during a heatwave.
The Met Office separately issued a yellow fog warning covering 42 areas across London, the South East, the Midlands, the North West and Wales, in force from 6pm on Monday to 10am on Tuesday. Chief meteorologist Jason Kelly said persistent high pressure had brought light winds and clear skies, allowing fog to form, while weak November sunshine made it slow to clear. Forecasters said the fog could reduce visibility to less than 100 metres in places, with a risk of delays or cancellations to transport and flights.
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What we know
- 2+ outlets · Belfast Telegraph, Evening Standard +3 London Mayor Sadiq Khan issued a "high" air pollution alert for Tuesday after fog and fireworks smoke built up over the weekend.
- 1 outlet · Evening Standard Greater London was rated "very high" for pollution, with the South East and East Midlands rated "high", government monitoring showed.
- 1 outlet · Evening Standard Boroughs including Westminster, Wandsworth, Lambeth and Tower Hamlets had the highest pollution rating; Haringey and Enfield had the clearest air.
- 1 outlet · Evening Standard It is the fourth "high" air pollution alert issued in London this year, after one in June during a heatwave.
- 1 outlet · Evening Standard The Met Office issued a yellow fog warning for London, the South East, the Midlands and Wales, in force from 6pm Monday to 10am Tuesday.
How each fact is established: Verified checked by an ECTV editorOfficial stated by an official body2+ outlets reported independently by two or more news organisations1 outlet reported by a single news organisation so farUnconfirmed claimed or reportedHow we label facts
Why it matters for Europe
Toxic air is blamed for thousands of premature deaths in London every year, according to the deputy mayor, and this is the fourth time this year that pollution has reached levels serious enough to trigger an official alert. The combination of fireworks smoke and an unusually persistent spell of fog shows how seasonal weather and events can quickly push the capital's air quality to its worst levels.
Sources
Reported by 7 reports from 7 independent outlets in 4 countries.
- Belfast Telegraph: ‘High’ air pollution alert issued in London after weekend of fog and fireworks
- Evening Standard: ‘High’ air pollution alert issued in London after weekend of fog and fireworks
- The Irish News: ‘High’ air pollution alert issued in London after weekend of fog and fireworks
- RTL Nieuws: Russell Brand verblijft in tijdelijke gevangenis na veroordeling: 'Pittig weekend achter de rug'
- Evening Standard: London hit by high pollution warning as dense fog threatens travel disruption
Source balance
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Intelligence file
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Confidence and impact scores, 7 more sources, the full situation report and the event timeline.
Questions and answers
- Why was the air pollution alert issued?
- Dense fog and very light winds let particle pollution build up over the weekend, with smoke from Bonfire Night and Diwali fireworks also contributing, London's mayor said.
- Which areas are most affected?
- Greater London is rated "very high" for pollution, with the South East and East Midlands rated "high"; boroughs including Westminster and Tower Hamlets have the highest readings.
- What are people advised to do?
- Walk, cycle or use public transport, drive less, and avoid unnecessary burning at home, particularly if vulnerable to air pollution.
This article was written with AI assistance from 12 verified reports and checked under the ECTV editorial policy. Spotted an error? Request a correction.