Scientists 'stunned' as London children's lung capacity catches up after ULEZ expansion

Scientists say they are stunned by new research showing that children living in London's Ultra Low Emission Zone now have lung capacity comparable to peers in less polluted areas. The study, which tracked more than 3,400 children across London and Luton, found that the lung function gap between children in high-pollution London postcodes and those in Luton — previously significantly better — has effectively closed following the expansion of the ULEZ in 2023. Researchers noted that improvements in breathing capacity were measurable even in children as young as eight. The findings suggest that clean air policies can produce faster health benefits than previously thought. Air quality campaigners said the results vindicate the scheme despite the political controversy it generated. Critics of ULEZ had argued the restrictions imposed unfair costs on lower-income families through vehicle upgrade requirements. The study is expected to feed into future clean air zone policy decisions across other UK cities.