"Injustice" claimed with passengers facing up to eight times more pollution than motorists

Motorists are far less exposed to harmful particulate matter than London Underground and bus passengers, a study has found.

The University of Surrey study suggests that transport users are exposed to as much as eight times as many pollutants as motorists in London, with those on Underground lines in tunnels with open windows such as the Victoria and Northern lines the worst affected. Dr Prashant Kumar from the University of Surrey, who led the study, said: “We found that there is definitely an element of environmental injustice among those commuting in London, with those who create the most pollution having the least exposure to it.”

“The relatively new airtight trains with closed windows showed a significant difference to the levels of particles people are exposed to over time, suggesting that operators should consider this aspect during any upgrade of Underground trains, along with the ways to improve ventilation in underground tunnels.”

The findings are highlighted in The Sun, Daily Mail, The Mirror and The Times today.