Kingston upon Thames is among the UK's 10 boroughs responsible for the worst overall air pollution, a new study has found.

Air quality is the term used to describe the level of pollution in the air we breathe, and air quality and ventilation company, Airflow Development, has conducted research by analysing the latest air quality data (January 2023) from the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).

Five key pollutants; Nitrogen dioxide, Sulphur dioxide, Ozone and Particulate matter (PM2.5 and PM10) were then compared against the UK government's national air quality objectives (NAQOs) whilst calculating the number of children that are being exposed to poor air quality during school hours.

Kingston borough ranked 8th for the UK areas with the worst levels of air quality (Credit: Airflow)

Alarmingly, Kingston borough featured 8th on the list, with NO2 levels currently above the legal limit. This means there are 30,903 school children in 64 schools currently exposed to some of the UK's worse air pollution.

Kensington and Chelsea ranked first with unsafe levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2): 6% higher than the London average and 59% higher than the national average.

Seven of the top 10 worst-affected areas in the UK were in London, with Enfield and Redbridge also in the top three. Barnet came 4th and Leicester ranked 5th, while Cardiff has the worst air quality in Wales.

A 2019 review by Public Health England named poor air quality as 'the biggest environmental threat to health in the UK'. It also revealed that, whilst air quality has shown signs of improvement in the last decade, the UK's annual mortality rate from human-made air pollution is between 28,000 and 36,000 deaths.

Typically, young pupils spend at least 32 hours at school every week and are some of the most vulnerable to the effects of air pollution because they breathe more rapidly than adults and have smaller airways, putting them at risk of lung health issues and infections.

Managing Director of Airflow Development, Alan Siggins said: "Poor air quality, both indoor and outdoor, poses a real health risk to all people, but especially children. Their lungs absorb more pollutants as they breathe so rapidly and they're more susceptible to respiratory infections.

"This report shows that schoolchildren in cities face some of the worst air in the country. And while these areas are obliged to have air quality action plans in place, more needs to be done – and quickly.

"This year, councils in England were awarded a share of £10.7 million for projects to improve air quality. It's really encouraging to see initiatives like this in place, and I'm glad that awareness of the issues is also increasing."

According to Kingston's Air Quality Annual Status Report for 2021, progress has been made on many of their air quality action points. However, planned air quality audits have not yet been carried out due to limited resources.

Just yesterday, the local authority announced Kingston had received £1.4 million from Transport for London (TfL) to continue its commitment to creating 'cleaner, greener, healthier neighbourhoods'.

The funds are set to enhance the borough's sustainable transport offer, create safer streets and improve air quality whilst also supporting the final phase of the roll out of a 20mph speed limit on residential roads, an enhanced cycle training initiative and a programme of local projects to improve travel choices and access.

Kingston has received £1.4 million from TfL to continue its commitment to creating 'cleaner, greener, healthier neighbourhoods' (Credit: Kingston Council)

Councillor Ian Manders, Portfolio Holder for Climate Action and Sustainable Transport, said: "Tackling climate change and ensuring a greener future for residents is a top priority for the council. This Transport for London funding for local projects will help to make our streets healthier and safer for years to come. 

"By striving for the best for our neighbourhoods, we can continue to transform them into welcoming, healthy spaces where everyone can enjoy a better quality of life."