London to be sprayed in attempt to improve air quality

People living in the capital could find the air quality will improve after a project to cover areas of the city in dust-suppressant spray was revealed.

Transport for London has announced that it will try an initiative to cover the road surface in two areas in the city with the spray, which it hopes will reduce dust levels.

Mayor of London Boris Johnson said that this "wonderful contraption" will tackle "air quality head on".

He said that it will work by sticking the dust particles to the road's surface so that they do not escape into the air.

"We expect this new measure to have an immediate impact on air quality in the most polluted areas of central London," Mr Johnson stated.

The project will be introduced on the A3211 - between Waterloo Bridge and Victoria Embankment - and the A501, which is near King's Cross railway station.

Next month, the Royal Society of Chemistry will host the Monitoring Ambient Air 2010: New Air Quality Measurement Technologies event in London to discuss air quality regulations set by the EU targets.

Posted by Joseph Hutton