One of the most affected areas by air pollution is Marylebone, so its not surprising to see that local residents in North Marylebone have taken the monitoring of it into their own hands with the able assistance of UCL Mapping Section and some funding from Dorset Square Trust. This “citizen science” survey of NO2 level was carried out to measure the pollution experience every day as a result of traffic in North Marylebone predominately.

The main focus has been on Nitrogen dioxide (NO2) as a toxic product of combustion and a major pollutant emitted by diesel engines. The above map shows the locations sampled and the monthly mean NO2 level obtained at each location. The EU limit for NO2 is 40mcg/m3 while readings above 50 can be regarded as bad and anything above 75 as very bad for residents. The highest readings were in the middle of the Marylebone Road & Baker St junction, registering 3.6 times above the legal limit!!!!

If anything this residents survey gives us a baseline for NO2 emissions as the neighbourhood faces challenges like the proposed two-way for Baker Street and Gloucester Place, which has not been forthcoming from either City of Westminster and TfL. If both are serious about the two-way proposal along with the Baker St BID, there should acknowledge the good work of the residents and measure the impact of their proposal against this “citizen science” survey. As the residents have ownership of the results its only right and proper that the impact of the two way proposal should be measured against at this air pollution black spot already.