MOSCOW (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 10th July, 2020) Air pollution in UK cities and towns remains 30 percent below pre-lockdown levels despite the country's return to near-normal, a study cited by the Guardian newspaper said Friday.
Levels of nitrogen dioxide were down by a third as of end June, even after traffic of heavy goods vehicles was back to 95 percent of normal levels, van traffic to 90 percent and cars to 75 percent.
David Carslaw from the University of York, who led the study, suggested that even a small drop in traffic was able to reduce congestion, which forces vehicles to start and stall repeatedly producing more exhaust fumes.
"If you can reduce traffic by 10-20% and remove a lot of the congestion, that may have a disproportionate effect on the emissions," he was quoted as saying.
UK government advisers said last week that air pollution might be adding to the overall number and severity of coronavirus patients in the country. The United Kingdom has recorded more than 288,000 cases and 44,650 deaths.
