Online map will reveal London’s most polluted streets

Online map will reveal London’s most polluted streets: Sensors will take readings every 30 metres identifying areas of toxic air on more than 1,000 miles of roads Iconic Street View cars are equipped with pollution sensors at London locations Mayor of London launched major initiative today to improve capital's air quality The cars will take pollution readings every 30 metres at thousands of locations  Most polluted roads will be published to help people choose cleaner routes 

By Victoria Bell For Mailonline

Published: 18:22 GMT, 15 January 2019 | Updated: 18:22 GMT, 15 January 2019

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An interactive map will show the air quality on London streets via data picked up by mobile and fixed sensors around the capital.

Google's iconic Street View cars will be used to take readings every 30 metres from thousands of locations over more than 1,000 miles of road across the English capital.

Mayor of London Sadiq Khan announced the introduction of the air quality monitors as part of his Breathe London initiative, working to improve the capital's air quality.  

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 An interactive map will show the air quality on London streets via data picked up by mobile and fixed sensors around the capital. Google’s iconic Street View cars will be used to take readings from thousands of locations with its air pollution sensors (file photo)

 An interactive map will show the air quality on London streets via data picked up by mobile and fixed sensors around the capital. Google's iconic Street View cars will be used to take readings from thousands of locations with its air pollution sensors (file photo)

Monitors collect data from across the capital and deliver new insight into the sources of pollution.

They would help identify the sources of pollution by measuring carbon dioxide levels as well as air pollutants such as nitrogen oxides.

Fixed sensor pods will be mounted on lampposts and buildings close to known air quality hotspots and sensitive locations such as schools and nurseries. 

POLLUTION HOTSPOTS IN THE UK 

Three quarters of the UK's worst pollution areas are in London.

Marylebone Road and Hyde Park Corner and in the centre of the capital are two of the most polluted postcodes in the country.

Hotspots near east London's Blackwall Tunnel also received a high ranking. 

High Street Kensington received a rating of three, which means it is likely that nitrogen dioxide levels will exceed the annual legal limit.

Leeds and Bristol city centres also scored relatively high ratings of four out of six. 

More than four in five postcodes in the UK are in the least polluted category.

That includes many urban areas, including the city centres of Cardiff, Glasgow, Liverpool and Newcastle.

Fewer than one per cent of postcodes are rated either 4 or 5 and no postcodes fall into the highest category. 

The vehicles will take pollution readings approximately every 30 metres at tens of thousands of locations around London's streets over a year.  

Data from the project will be used to create the online map that people can check air quality where they live or work or even to take cleaner routes home.

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