City of London abandons diesel vehicles in order to combat pollution
The City of London will cease buying or leasing diesel vehicles in a move designed to counter the problem of air pollution in the capital. The Corporation, which owns 300 vehicles, will no longer purchase diesel models when existing vehicles are replaced. The Corporation is also encouraging companies to reduce vehicle deliveries within the Square Mile – or to adopt hybrid models. Earlier this month, a report by think tank the Institute for Public Policy argued that London might have to ban diesel cars within a decade in order to meet the city’s air quality targets.
Most air pollution in London is caused by road transport, of which diesel vehicles are the most polluting. Efforts must be made to reduce the number of diesel vehicles on the road, both by increasing the proportion of cleaner and greener vehicles and by a continued shift towards alternative forms of transport, including public transport, walking and cycling.

“The UK’s expected exit from the European Union could significantly reduce the pressure on the UK government to cut concentration levels.” Lethal and illegal: London's air pollution crisis, IPPR publication

This report presents innovative new modelling that illustrates the scale of both the problem and the policy changes required to remedy it at the European, national and local levels. It also provides detailed analysis of the promise and limitations of current clean air measures, and the decisive steps that must be taken next.