London Schools Receive £2.7M Air Filters to Combat Pollution

In a major initiative to improve air quality and protect children's health, hundreds of London schools are set to receive new air filters in the coming weeks. The £2.7 million scheme, announced by Mayor Sadiq Khan, aims to significantly reduce harmful particulate matter (PM2.5) inside classrooms by up to 68%.

The rollout will cover more than 200 schools across the capital, with a focus on areas with the highest levels of deprivation and air pollution. Khan says the filters could have a "life-changing" impact on young people, helping to address respiratory illnesses and improve academic performance.

The first school to receive the filters, St Mary's RC Primary in Battersea, has already seen positive results. Head teacher Jared Brading says the school has taken several steps to tackle pollution, including installing air quality monitors and discouraging parents from leaving engines running. The new filters, he believes, will be the "final piece in the jigsaw" for cleaner air in the classrooms.

While the City Hall Conservatives have welcomed the news, they have also raised concerns about the mayor's decision to remove congestion charge exemptions for electric vehicles. Khan, however, maintains that measures like the Ultra Low Emission Zone have been effective in reducing air pollution across London.