• THERE has been much discussion about the proposed new layout of Highbury Corner. It is clear that this will involve more slow-moving, stopping and starting heavy traffic, and inevitably thereby an increase in traffic pollution, particularly from buses, coaches, lorries, trucks, taxis and motor scooters, the majority of which still use diesel.

This is bad for everyone – pedestrians, cyclists and drivers. Diesel is classified by the World Health Organisation as a number-one carcinogen. But worst of all for young children coming and going every day to local schools (or travelling to school from the tube).

According to Dr Penny Woods, chief executive of the British Lung Foundation: “Evidence has shown that children growing up in polluted areas are four times more likely to have poor lung growth. Children with smaller lungs are more likely to have health problems in later life.” This means asthma, chronic chest problems, negative effects on mental and cognitive health.

Is TfL aware that there are three large primary schools, with nurseries, in the immediate area of Highbury Corner – Canonbury, Laycock and William Tyndale? These schools have a total of 1,490 children between the ages of 3 and 11. Of these 128 are between three and four years old.

All three schools are less than 150 metres from a road where the level of nitrogen dioxide from diesel traffic already exceeds the EU legal limit of 40 micrograms per cubic metre. (Matthew Taylor, Guardian, February 27, 2017, with individual measures for all schools in London.)

Do we want our children to be breathing yet more polluted air? We are shown lovely pictures of trees and grass at the heart of the Corner, the so-called “arboretum”. But sitting in this central area would mean breathing in highly toxic air with every breath, invisible but no less deadly.

A recent council document on polluted air in the city states: “London’s filthy air is now a life or death issue.” Why is this not being put at the heart of the replanning of Highbury Corner?

JULIA VELLACOTT
N1