London's air quality breaks law

Air pollution in some parts of London is so bad that it breaks European laws.

New figures show maximum levels have been breached on 36 occasions this year.

Fine particles, mostly from vehicle exhausts, are the single biggest killer in air pollution. Under EU law particle levels should not exceed certain limits on more than 35 days each year.

But yesterday the Government's air pollution station in Marylebone Road showed it had already gone over its limit for the whole of this year.

Friends of the Earth said that the Government could now face prosecution by the European Commission.

Spokesman Jenny Bates said: "This breach proves that the Government, London's Mayor Ken Livingstone and Westminster City Council aren't doing enough to tackle traffic pollution."

Ben Bradshaw, minister for local environmental quality, said: "We are currently considering measures to combat the problem."