What are Lewisham Council doing?
We have been actively working to improve air quality across the borough, implementing innovative projects and securing funding to address air pollution.
What are we doing?
Below is a summary of key initiatives:
School Streets
School Streets are initiatives designed to create safer, healthier, and cleaner environments around schools. By introducing timed traffic restrictions during school drop-off and pick-up times, School Streets limit vehicular traffic outside schools. These measures encourage children and their families to walk, cycle, or scoot to school, reducing reliance on cars and promoting active, sustainable travel.
School Streets are a key commitment in our Climate Action Plan:
- 55 School Streets are currently in place, covering 56.7% of Lewisham schools, compared to a London average of 26%
- nine new School Streets are planned over the next three years
- alternative school zone measures are being explored where full restrictions are not suitable
- in 2024, 1,077 children took part in Bikeability training, providing them with skills and confidence to cycle
Indoor Air Quality Project
This initiative aims to help residents understand and improve indoor air quality, with a specific focus on nurseries and care homes.
Benefits:
Residents understand and improve indoor air quality and help to improve the health of those who live, work and study in the borough.
Progress
- Lewisham Indoor Air Quality Project Launched May 2026. Find out more about this project
- Introduced our guide to healthier air indoors Download the gulde
DEFRA Air Quality Grant
Lewisham secured £248,020 from DEFRA for a four-year project focused on reducing pollution and raising awareness.
Key Objectives:
- monitoring NO₂ and PM levels near schools and solid-fuel burning areas
- launching a public website and social media channels to share real-time air quality data and educational content
- providing indoor air pollution guidance and recommendations for the community
- raising awareness and encouraging behaviour change through tailored messaging
Progress:
- work has begun with Ricardo, including updates to the council’s website
- six small automatic sensors have been deployed
Roadvent Project
This initiative, funded by the Mayor’s Air Quality Fund and Lewisham’s Transport Department, uses innovative Roadvent technology to filter harmful pollutants such as NOx and PM near traffic-heavy areas.
Site Selection:
This initiative, funded by the Mayor’s Air Quality Fund and Lewisham’s Transport Department, uses innovative Roadvent technology to filter harmful pollutants such as NOx and PM near traffic-heavy areas.
Progress:
- STAT and GPR surveys completed
- baseline monitoring underway with diffusion tubes and air nodes
- Roadvent system ordered and in preparation for installation
- planning permission granted in 2026
Superzone initiative
A £30,000 Superzone grant was awarded to address poor air quality, child obesity, and deprivation in New Cross Gate, focusing on Kender and Edmund Waller Primary Schools.
Walking routes and maps were designed for both schools, with banners installed to encourage active travel, and new active travel and Air Quality Planners for 2024/25 were developed to help sustain the project’s benefits.
A range of educational resources and games were also created to engage pupils, including an Engine Idling Group Debate, Active Travel Bingo (Pollution Solutions Bingo), an Air Pollution Sorting Game and a Snakes and Ladders game.
In addition, a stakeholder workshop case study was produced, capturing insights from a collaborative event held at Edmund Waller Primary School.
Edmund Waller students' posters from their workshops.
Edmund Waller students' posters from their workshops
Hosted Clean Air Day events featuring air quality workshops and anti-idling campaigns.
Developed clean air maps with walking routes, distributed banners, and leaflets to the schools.
Impact:
- successfully engaged the community, educated students, and improved local air quality