Now that four out of ten children have switched to more active modes of transportation to get to school within Central London’s Ultra-Low Emission Zone (ULEZ), they have a better chance of meeting the daily average of 60 minutes of physical activity for British children and teenagers.
“Changing the way children travel to school can have significant effects on their levels of physical activity at the same time as bringing other co-benefits like improving congestion and air quality,” explains joint senior author Dr Jenna Panter from the MRC Epidemiology Unit, University of Cambridge.
The ULEZ was first introduced in 2019 to help improve air quality by reducing the number of vehicles on the road that don’t meet emissions standards. Within the first ten months of its introduction, the Central London ULEZ reduced harmful nitrogen oxides by 35% and particulate matter by 15%. The study collected data from almost 2,00 kids aged 6 to 9 attending 84 primary schools in London and the control area, Luton, before the ULEZ implementation – June 2018 to April 2019 – and after – June 2019 to March 2020. Among the children living in London who travelled to school by car before the implementation of ULEZ, 42% switched to an active mode (walking, cycling, or public transport). In contrast, one in five children in Luton made the switch. It is recommended that school kids and teenagers take part in 60 minutes of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity every day. 45% of children aged 5 to 16 met these levels in 2021. “The previous Government was committed to increasing the share of children walking to school by 2025, and we hope the new Government will follow suit.”
