London covered in thick black layer of smog as pollution hits twice normal level

Staff reporter(wp/es):
unusually high levels of air pollution hit the capital.The picture, taken by IT worker Pete Buckney at the top of Horniman Hill in south London, shows a stark contrast between the darkness blanketing the city and the blue sky above.

Air pollution was more than double the usual level for the capital on Thursday, according to the London Air Quality Network.

It came as temperatures plummeted below freezing amid clear skies and low wind levels.

Dr Gary Fuller, of King’s College London’s Environmental Research Group, explained: “On cold days you get a cold layer of air that sits close to the ground and all of our air pollution is put into that layer, therefore the concentration goes up.

“Yesterday was one of those rare moments where air pollution was actually visible; you can’t normally see it like that.”

He added that normal air pollution levels for London are between one and three but “yesterday we had numbers which were breaking the 7, 8, 9, 10 mark.”

The figures come from the London Air Network’s ‘nowcast’ 1-10 scale, which measures levels of four toxic pollutants at locations across the city.

“Air pollution can seem intangible but there are a few moments when it is made visible and you can see it co clearly,” Dr Fuller said.

Mr Buckney, who cycles up Horniman Hill every day to drop his children at school, said it is on the clearest, brightest days that air pollution looks most severe.

The 48-year-old told the Standard: “On clear days you can really see the state of things, and yesterday it was shocking.

“I cycle up this hill every day and I love the view of London, but it is very concerning to see how bad the pollution is.

“When I can see the air pollution I avoid cycling into town and try to take the quickest routes possible, so that I don’t exert myself too much.”

Another picture posted on Twitter by quantative analyst William Smith shows a similar layer of pollution visible looking out across the O2 arena to east London.

Winds from the Atlantic were expected to ease pollution later on Friday but the Environment Department is still forecasting moderate to high pollution following yesterday’s very high peak.

Parents have also been advised to “take care” when taking their baby outside by the pioneering Plume Labs company after it recorded toxic levels of air pollution.

The firm put the level of air pollution in London as “high” based on World Health Organisation limits, which are stricter for some pollutants than EU rules used by the Government and other experts.

A spokesman for London mayor Sadiq Khan said: “Sadiq has proposed the toughest crackdown on polluting vehicles by any major city in the world. 

“He is also consulting on a new emissions surcharge and introducing an expanded Ultra Low Emission Zone a year earlier than the previous Mayor planned.”

“[This week] he revealed that no more pure diesel double-deck buses will be added to the capital’s fleet from 2018 and that all new single-decks for central London will be zero-emission.

“The Mayor cannot tackle air quality on his own and he is also calling for the Government to rise up to the challenge and pass new legislation fit for the 21st century.”

Europe's longest freshwater pool to be built in London Docklands

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The longest freshwater pool in Europe will be built in London's Docklands as part of a £250m campus hoping to attract the next generation of creative and tech businesses.

The new workspace, dubbed Republic, will be built at East India Dock in Poplar, and work has already started on the first of four buildings.

The campus will house shops, bars, cafes and a large gym, as well as a number of outdoor terraces and water gardens.

It will also include Europe's longest freshwater pool, at 100m in length.

The design is centred around well-being at work, with increased daylight, better levels of ventilation and direct connections with nature.

It is hoped that this will create an “attractive work and leisure environment, becoming a new neighbourhood in this previously overlooked corner of London’s Docklands”.

Completing in phases over the next five years, the first building is set to be finished in October, with the campus eventually providing 650,000 sq ft of high-quality affordable workplace, half the cost of Shoreditch and a third of the cost of the West End.

Architect Studio RHE is working with Trilogy Property and LaSalle Investment Management on the project.

Director of Studio RHE, Richard Hywel Evans, said: “This is an exciting opportunity to transform a 1990s office complex into a dynamic collaborative 21st century campus.

“The creation of varied flexible working spaces, installation of innovative amenities and facilities, combined with extensive new public realm, will create a sustainable unique new working neighbourhood.”

The man behind the project is Robert Wolstenholme, Director of Trilogy Property.

He added: “Our aim is to create a ‘trophy’ workplace for London but deliverable at occupational costs comparable to Manchester, Birmingham or Reading.”

Man charged with murder after assault at west London immigration centre

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A man has been charged with murder following an assault at an immigration centre in west London.

Zana Assad Yusif, 31, has been charged following the incident at Colnbrook Immigration Removal Centre in West Drayton on Thursday.

Tarek Chowdhury was rushed to hospital after being injured at the centre at around 9.15am.

The 64-year-old was pronounced dead at 9.30pm.

Yousif, who was in the care of the centre, will appear in custody at Hendon Magistrates' Court on Saturday.

He was one of three men - aged 31, 32 and 35 - arrested on suspicion of attempted murder.

The other two men have been released without charge.

London Underground fined £500K

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London Underground has been fined £500,000 after a maintenance worker was left seriously injured when he plunged more than 30ft down a lift shaft at a disused Tube station. 

The worker suffered several injuries and spent ten days in hospital after he fell from scaffolding while cleaning an elevator, the Office of Rail and Road (ORR) said.

Its investigation found London Underground failed to properly plan, manage and supervise the work being carried out at the disused South Kentish Town tube station. 

Inspectors also found the scaffold was incorrectly assembled and its stability had not been assessed when the incident took place on September 22, 2014. 

The ORR said procedures which may have prevented the fall were in place, but were not implemented or followed.

London Underground was fined £500,000 and ordered to pay £50,000 costs after pleading guilty to a charge under the Health and Safety at Work Act at Blackfriars Crown Court on October 7 this year.

Keith Atkinson, HM Principal Inspector of Railways, said: "In 2014, London Underground's failure to properly plan, manage or supervise maintenance work at the disused station in South Kentish Town led to a worker spending ten days in hospital, and could have been fatal.

"London Underground has a good safety record, but this incident highlights why there can be no room for complacency. 

"Safety remains a top priority for the rail regulator. We will always take action against companies or individuals where failings are found."

London Underground fully addressed issues relating to safe access into the former lift shaft and the incorrectly assembled scaffold following the incident.

A Transport for London (TfL) spokesman said: "This was clearly a serious incident involving one of our employees and we acted quickly to investigate the causes and take action to ensure that it does not happen again."

The station opened in 1907 but closed in 1924 because not enough people used it. 

The old entrance to the tube station is now occupied by a pawnbroker store Cash Converters.