Diesel - pressure grows

[Ian.g]

I live in Borough SE1 and have lived and driven in London pretty much all of my life.
Pollution now is as bad now as it was in the 80s. Sore eyes,coughs etc are now much more common place.
For me though the biggest sign of pollution is the soot etc I get on my pristine white window sills, I clean these every couple days, I live just off two major bus routes.

I get some of this black stuff on a window facing the DLR and the A13. A lot less now than 17 years ago when I moved in, judging by how often I have to clean it.

But in that period, DLR capacity has doubled, traffic density has increased (apparently) but a large percentage of busses are now hybrid or some other AFV tech. There is a lot less construction around me now, which would have an effect. I'm quite near City airport, but I don't know how changes there will have affected things.

Overall, I'd say air, from a smell/breathing point of view has improved. I used to run a lot and found in the early days I'd be coughing up black stuff.. not any more.

Other observations? Fewer black cabs. More Prius minicabs. A large number of delivery vehicles are electric. And generally newer vehicles are cleaner, regardless of their fuel type. Pretty much half the busses I get are hybrid now or AFVs.

Just my experience in E14. I know other areas in London are worse and clearly my experience is the opposite of yours.

Generally newer vehicles - this is right. All old vehicles were much worse. New diesels are far better than old petrol engines! Maybe less good than current petrol engines in some respects, but newer cars are all much cleaner.

[Drcasio]

Where I am it's the buses, black cabs, and HGVs that seem to belch out fumes, and in central london the amount of building work means so many HGVs travelling around this in combination with the reduced road width for cars is simply making pollution a whole lot worse. Someone earlier in the thread was correct; they could obliterate pollution tomorrow. Simply ban diesel buses, taxis and HGV from the city.

Job done

[goron59]

Well, such bans are already in the pipeline. Sadly, there's nothing simple about such a thing.

[goron59]

Shame you don't get all the AFV/hybrid busses down your way. Somebody at TfL/City Hall must really hate SE1

[JBA]

What also worries me is the green lobby will use the disastrous consequences of diesel cars as an excuse to bash all car owners whether petrol, cleaner diesel or hybrid. They'll grab any opportunity to "drive" all cars off the road - 4 wheels bad and 2 wheels good in their mantra.

[Drcasio]

Shame you don't get all the AFV/hybrid busses down your way. Somebody at TfL/City Hall must really hate SE1

The irony ;)

[Col Lamb]

In my working life of 48 years I have had 25 different jobs.

Of those 25 jobs, 1was within 2 miles of home, 1 was within 5 miles of home, all the rest involved a car journey of at least 1/2 hour and for 15 years a 1 1/2 hour commute.

All the longer commutes were by car.

Train or the underground commutes were only for the 1 year I worked and lived (Mon to Fri) in London.

I consider my working life as typical of so many folks who have long journeys to get into work.

The only way to effectively cut travel pollution is to reduce the vehicle journeys people have to take to get to work.
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Col Lamb2017-02-13 21:55:46

[JBA]

What also worries me is the green lobby will use the disastrous consequences of diesel cars as an excuse to bash all car owners whether petrol, cleaner diesel or hybrid. They'll grab any opportunity to "drive" all cars off the road - 4 wheels bad and 2 wheels good in their mantra.

[goron59]

The only way to effectively cut travel pollution is to reduce the vehicle journeys people have to take to get to work.

That's why I walk to work. Or take bus/bike/train if I absolutely have to.

Have done for 20 odd years.

One of the reasons I'm happy driving what I do as none of my miles is wasted on commuting or tedious chores.

[Ian.g]

The only way to effectively cut travel pollution is to reduce the vehicle journeys people have to take to get to work.

This is so true. But so many people are prepared to commute for 1-2 hours each way every day. It is so expensive to move house that I can see some logic, but I wouldn't do it. 10 minutes is plenty for me!