Joggers told to avoid certain London City streets due to air pollution

Air pollution means London's streets are not always safe for exercising in. Credit: Reuters

The City of London have issued a new alert system to warn joggers to exercising in areas where air levels are unsafe.

Due to potentially toxic levels of air pollution in several areas around the city, joggers are being warned to avoid several main intersections when pollution levels are high. The streets to be avoided include:

  • Bank Junction

  • Bishopsgate into Gracechurch Street

  • Upper into Lower Thames Street

  • Farringdon Street into New Bridge Street.

Jon Averns, Public Protection Director at the City of London Corporation, said the routes did not have to be avoided every day, but central London was vulnerable to summer smog air pollution, and people should take precautions over the next few months.

The City of London has launched a free phone app to alert people of potentially harmful levels of pollution - as they change and increase throughout the summer.

The app - 'City Air' - alerts users to periods of high pollution, and shows levels of all currently measured types of pollution - nitrogen dioxide, small particiles, PM10 and PM2.5 and ozone - across the capital.

It also generates the best routes in order to avoid toxic levels of air pollution - for joggers, pedestrians, cyclists and drivers. Ruth Calderwood, Environmental Policy Officer at City of London Corporation said it was vital that Londoners could act to to protect themselves from the invisible threat posed by toxic air.

More: Pollution hits high levels: How worried should you be?

Download the app and find out more about it here.