Despite dramatic improvements in London's air quality since 2016, air pollution is still a major public health challenge, new data has revealed.

The data from City Hall shows a 97% reduction in the number of schools in areas exceeding legal pollution limits, and a 94% reduction in the number of people living in areas exceeding legal limits for nitrogen dioxide (NO2).

However, the data also warns that thousands of Londoners still live in areas with illegally polluted air. Nearly all of London (99%) still exceeds WHO recommended limits for particulate matter.

Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: 'I’m pleased that Londoners are breathing cleaner air, that we’re saving the NHS billions of pounds and preventing over a million hospital admissions.

'However, air pollution remains a major public health challenge and it’s time for Government to step up, set ambitious national targets and provide the powers and funding we need to consign air pollution to the history books.'

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