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Londons T-Charge will help residents heart health

Tuesday 24th October 2017
London mayor Sadiq Khans new T-Charge should help to protect residents cardiovascular health in the long term. Image: johnkellerman via iStock
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The British Heart Foundation (BHF) has welcomed London mayor Sadiq Khan's introduction of the new T-Charge for vehicles driving in the UK capital in light of links between air pollution and poor heart health.

Motorists driving older vehicles with high levels of emissions will now have to pay £21.50 (£10 on top of the current congestion charge) to travel through central London, which Mr Khan believes will help to significantly clear up air quality in the city.

A survey carried out by the BHF led to the discovery that 70 per cent of Londoners support the introduction of the T-Charge, as many are aware of the benefits that it could have for their health over the long term.

Some 81 per cent of London residents said they are concerned about current air pollution levels, with 37 per cent put off running and 38 per cent unwilling to go cycling in the capital as a result. This means people are not doing exercise that would be good for their health due to air quality, meaning pollution could be contributing towards the nation's growing obesity problem.

In 2010 alone, almost 9,500 deaths in London were attributed to health complications brought on due to prolonged exposure to air pollution. Of these fatalities, 80 per cent were linked to heart or circulatory disease.

With this in mind, the T-Charge could help to save a significant number of lives in the UK capital in the future.

BHF chief executive Simon Gillespie commented: "This is a wake-up call to how concerned the people of London are about the air they breathe.

"The mayor's toxicity charge is a step in the right direction and we look forward to the introduction of the full Ultra Low Emissions Zone in 2019, which will help to further clean up London's air."

Written by Mathew Horton

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