Spikes in air pollution trigger hundreds of cardiac arrests, strokes and acute asthma attacks in cities compared with days when the air is cleaner, according to research by King’s College London.
A study identified significant short-term health risks caused by air pollution, which also contributed to up to 36,000 deaths every year.
Researchers examined data from London, Birmingham, Bristol, Derby, Liverpool, Manchester, Nottingham, Oxford and Southampton and found that on high-pollution days — when pollutant levels were in the top half of the annual range — there were an extra 124 cardiac arrests. The figure, based on ambulance call data, discounts cardiac arrests in patients already in hospital.
I have noticed, on my air quality app, that where I live, Southampton, is often dirtier than London! The council need to sit up and think. Associated British Ports still refuses to install "Shore Power Cables" in the docks, with some of the worlds biggest liners belching out diesel fumes as they run their huge power generators whilst in port. The stink in the air was very noticeable after coming back from The Broads.
I didn’t know there’s an air quality app. But, a few weeks ago I heard a report on the radio about ships leaving their engines running while tied up, and how it creates air pollution and noise pollution, with people able to hear the deep rumbling sound from quite a distance away. It was talking about measures that can be taken to avoid this 🚢
I live in Southampton as well, and I would agree that the air here can get abysmal, I have also found that the air quality measurements from the council are wrong, in that they under measure many of the quantities. Although it looks like ABP will be installing ths Shore Power Cable in "2020" I expect that will be finished 2025 at the earliest. I would like them to sort it now, while I sit here with at least 5 large ships (container and passenger) within 0.5 miles.
I really do hope you are right about the shore power, it is not what I have heard.
The pollution is worse today with moderate levels, than in London, which has good levels. Of course the levels reported by the council are wrong, after the publicity campaign by the BLF last year they were highly embarrassed, it is not in their interest to publish the true levels. You can actually taste the pollution on the bad days. They had the opportunity to introduce a pollution charge for older vehicles and turned it down. Opting for road improvements without doing anything about all the narrow pinch points.
The container ships are getting larger by the year with plans to increase capacity at the container docks. The problem is that it means more lorries to transport those containers, a few do go by rail. So the road improvement schemes designed to improve the flow of traffic will still end up gridlocked again with the extra traffic, producing yet even more pollution.
The council are still dragging their heels with fitting public charging points for electric vehicles, they have fitted some for the few of their own e-vehicles, that are left out of use for most of the day.
It is not just Southampton that suffers the insane pollution levels either. Central government has received multiple health warnings about the dangers of the various types of pollution, yet do nothing about it other than the usual empty promises, leaving it up to inept local councils, who do not have the expertise, to sort out.
As in the 1966 musical. "Stop the world, I wan't to get off."
And don’t forget the drivers who sit in their cars at the side of the road doing not very much with the engine running. It makes me cross but I daren’t say any thing for fear of getting abuse.
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1970's pollution as been replaced by 50% more PM10s ... Lung Disease 
