Why Poplar?
Air pollution is a challenge faced across the capital and is particularly pertinent to Tower Hamlets. It has the 5th worst air quality of any London borough, the impact of which is especially felt in Poplar.
A largely residential area, Poplar has two major arterial roads running through it. The first is the A12 running north to south, the second the A13 running east to west. These roads converge at the northern approach of the Blackwall Tunnel, pictured left.
Living next to these roads is an everyday reality for local residents as they go about their lives. Although intangible to most people, air pollution’s impact is significant and enduring. According the the UK government, air pollution is the biggest environmental risk to public health and children in Tower Hamlets have up to 5% less lung capacity than the UK national average.
Despite its impact, awareness and comprehension of air pollution is low. This is where Knitting the Air all started, with the quest to make air pollution data more tangible and accessible for communities most affected by poor air.
Dee Street
The first Breathe London Communities sensor is located on Dee Street, a residential side street in the Aberfeldy estate. The sensor is opposite Culloden Primary School entrance, adjacent to residential properties and connects to a pedestrian underpass under the A12. This makes Dee Street an important walking route, particularly for children and families travelling to and from the school.
LEFT: Breathe London sensor on a lampost, looking west towards a pedestrian underpass. Culloden Primary School is on the left and on the right, residential properties.
RIGHT: An aerial view of Dee Street looking east, with Culloden Primary School on the right and along the bottom, the A12 as it approaches the Blackwall Tunnel.
In places the school playground boundary is less than 100 metres from the Blackwall Tunnel approach.
The A12
The second Breathe London Communities sensor is located further north on the A12 at the Abbott Road junction. This is the location of another pedestrian walkway under the A12 which local residents use connect to wider Poplar.
LEFT: Picture of the Breathe London sensor, looking south towards the Blackwall Tunnel.
RIGHT: View of the A12/Abbott Road junction looking north towards Bow. To the right hand side of the picture you can see the entrance to the pedestrian tunnel.
