Lewisham Council is significantly expanding its air quality monitoring capabilities with the installation of 100 new small automatic air quality sensors across the borough.
The Sustainable Development Select Committee heard that 74 of the sensors have already been installed, with the remaining 26 to be in place soon. These sensors will measure nitrogen dioxide, carbon dioxide, ozone, particulate matter, temperature, and humidity in real-time, and the data will be made available to the public through an online platform scheduled to launch in September 2025.
Lucy Kirk, Environmental Protection Manager at Lewisham Council, told the committee that the expansion of the air quality monitoring network will allow for faster responses to air quality issues and enable the public to make informed decisions regarding their health.
The committee also received an update on the council's Air Quality Action Plan (AQAP) 2022-2027. The plan outlines the measures Lewisham Council is taking to improve air quality across the borough. Key achievements highlighted include the School Super Zone Project, implemented around Kender Primary School and Edmund Waller Primary School. According to the Public reports pack 11th-Sep-2025, this is the first time that a superzone has encompassed two schools. The project included air quality awareness workshops, anti-idling events, support with school travel plans, and promotion of lift share schemes.
Lewisham Council has also secured funding through the DEFRA Air Quality Fund and the Mayor's Air Quality Fund (MAQF). This includes £132,532 from the MAQF in 2024 to implement a Roadvent, described in the Public reports pack 11th-Sep-2025 as an innovative pollution mitigation measure near a school or nursery in an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) and an Air Quality Focus Area (AQFA). Work commenced on the Roadvent project in 2024 and the site has been selected which is currently being taken forward to the feasibility stage.
Despite the positive progress, one diffusion tube (L95 located on Lewis Grove) exceeded the annual mean NO2 AQOs set by DEFRA during 2024. However, a temporary diversion of bus routes as part of the Lewisham High Street renovation project led to a 34% reduction in NO₂ concentrations at L95.
Catherine O'Bama, Director of Public Health at the Council, and Martin O'Brien, Head of Climate Resilience at Lewisham Council, also attended the meeting, highlighting the strong links between climate action and air quality.
The Sustainable Development Select Committee is being asked to note the progress which has been made against the measures in the Air Quality Action Plan.
