Ditch Diesel
Image: Crispin Hughes
Diesel is the single biggest contributor of nitrogen oxides (NOx) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) on our roads. In 2019, diesel vehicles accounted for 40 per cent of total NOx emissions in London, and were the main source of road-based nitrogen oxide emissions in Greater Manchester.
Health effects
NOx and NO2 inflame lungs and are closely linked to childhood asthma and wheezing. Children living in London are particularly at risk of developing lifelong, chronic conditions, including poorly developed lungs, asthma, high blood pressure, inattention and hyperactivity, and mental illness.
In 2021/2022, more than 2,800 children and young people were admitted to hospital with asthma in London, a 64 per cent increase on the previous year, and child hospital admissions due to asthma in parts of Greater Manchester were more than three times the national average.
Levels of nitrogen dioxide in London
Annual roadside NO2 concentrations in London dropped by nearly half (49 per cent) between 2016 and 2023, due to measures such as London’s Low Emission Zone, the Ultra Low Emission Zone and the introduction of cleaner buses. Despite this progress, the latest London-wide monitoring data shows that there is a long way to go until Londoners are breathing clean air.
The map below displays recorded levels of NO2 across London in 2022, which is the latest annual data available. Anything yellow, orange or red shows levels above World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines. As you can see, almost all Londoners are breathing air that is over the guidelines, some by nearly five times.
Click “Open map” to find out more.
Real-world diesel emissions
Did you know there are an estimated 2.5 million diesel cars on the road in the UK emitting suspiciously high levels of air pollution?
After the 2015 Dieselgate scandal, when it was discovered that emissions defeat devices had been installed in Volkswagen’s cars, Government agencies across Europe began to test real-world emissions. The results of these revealed that diesel cars across manufacturers emit high levels of nitrogen oxides (NOx) during real-world operation.
The International Council on Clean Transportation’s (ICCT) 2017 white paper showed that while some Euro 6 diesel cars, (those that are allowed within London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone), were found to emit less NOx than the legal limit of 80 mg/km, others exceeded this by a factor of 12.
“Only 10% of tested Euro 6 vehicles would meet the Euro 6 limits on the road.”
The Real Urban Emissions (TRUE) Initiative collects and publishes real-world data on NOx emissions from in-use vehicles via remote sensing. The study they carried out in London from 2017 to 2018 revealed that NOx emissions from diesel cars in London are, on average per kilometer, 6 times those of petrol cars.
TRUE’s ratings show that nearly all diesel vehicles on European roads received a “poor” rating.
Image taken from this TRUE factsheet.
The legacy of Dieselgate
A 2023 reassessment of excess NOx in diesel cars in Europe, following the Court of Justice of the European Union clarification of the definition of a defeat device, revealed that “suspicious” levels of NOx emissions were found in 77 per cent to 100 per cent of tests and vehicle averages, indicating the likely use of a prohibited defeat device, and led to Client Earth’s announcement that it was sending legal complaints to three national governments, including the UK Government, to demand they address the legacy of Dieselgate.
The evidence is clear: we need to remove diesel cars, even the newest models, from our roads. We want to see commitments from all levels of government to phase out diesel by 2030, to protect the next generation from its devastating health impacts.
How to ditch diesel
Local authorities can fast-track the phase-out of diesel vehicles at the local level by:
• Phasing out new residential parking permits for diesel cars
• Introducing emissions-based parking tariffs
• Creating zero-emission loading bays and taxi ranks
• Setting a vision and publicly committing to a diesel-free borough by 2030
What about diesel vans?
We know that it will take longer to transition away from diesel vans, which is why the 2030 deadline needs to be set now. The UK Government needs to support industry to bring cleaner alternatives to market – current offerings are limited and expensive.
Taking action
Consumers have already started taking action; yet there are still over 500,000 diesel vehicles on London’s roads alone. We need an urgent commitment to phase out diesel from our streets by 2030.