The following charts illustrate changes in the annual average concentration of three air pollutants which have occured since 2012.  The measurements reflect conditions in the immediate vicinity of the monitoring site rather than in the named locality.  The measurements for 2022 have yet to be fully ratified.  They are based on London Air.

 

The following charts are based on the top notch presentation of data measured by network of diffusion tubes deployed by Tower Hamlets Council at 90 or so locations.  The amounts on which the charts are based include estimates where the data presented by the Council is either missing or anomalous. In general, concentrations of NO2 have substantiall decreased in recent years but the rate of  improvement has slowed now that the ULEZ can't expand further.

The map (from here) identifies the location of each of the numbered diffusion tubes.

 

Mile End Road - greatest (and above the legal limit) at major junctions; the remainder three to four times greater than World Health Organisation guideline.   Ten metres away, concentrations would be only two to three times greater than the WHO guideline (according to DEFRA's calculator) assuming the background concentration is that shown by tube 55 (at a site in Cemetry Park).

 

St Katharine's and Wapping - worse than elsewhere in Tower Hamlets; well above the legal limit) at the Narrow Street / Limehouse Link junctions; above that limit also at Mansell Street, Dellow Street / The Highway, and Jubilee Street / Commercial Road; the remainder all more than double the WHO guideline.

 

Canary Wharf and Isle of Dogs - all within the legal limit but more than double the WHO guideline; worst at Limeharbour.

 

Poplar - much the worst at the Poplar High Street / Cotton Street junction, otherwise within the legal limit but well above twice the WHO guideline.

 

 

Bethnal Green (west and central) - roughly triple the WHO guideline except at the Toynby Street / Commercial Road junction (at the legal limit).

 

Bethnal Green (east) and Bow - just over the legal limit at Bonner Road and the junction between Fairfield Road and Tredegar Road; otherwise mainly between three and four time greater than the WHO guideline; but much the best (as one might expect) in Victoria Park (double the WHO guideline).

Since 2018, the average of the concentrations measured by the two diffusion tubes at Victoria Park have tended to vary between 80% and 90% of the ratified monthly concentrations reported for the reference monitor with which they have been co-located.  That range is similar to the range for diffusion tubes co-located with reference monitors elsewhere in London.

 

Central Tower Hamlets - generally three to four times greater than the WHO guideline; well above the legal limit at the junction between Zetland Street and the A12; only double the WHO guideline in Tower Hamlets Cemetry Park.