
Barnet Council is sharing practical steps we can all take to breathe cleaner air and lead healthier lives ahead of this year’s Clean Air Day, the UK’s largest air pollution awareness campaign, on Thursday 19 June.
As one of London’s largest boroughs – with a gigantic road network including major thoroughfares like the M1, A1, A406 and A41 – cars alone produce 431 tonnes of toxic emissions per year in Barnet.
Councillor Alan Schneiderman, Cabinet Member for Environment and Climate Change, said: “Air pollution affects our health, from before our first breath, until our last. We’re on a mission to become net zero as a borough by 2042, and working together to improve air quality is a key part of that.
“Even though we can’t see it, air pollution is linked to a wide range of serious health conditions, including asthma, cancer, and heart disease. Children, older adults, and people with existing health issues are especially vulnerable.
“The good news is by making everyday changes to clean up our air, we can improve our immediate and long-term health – and that’s something we’d encourage everyone to do.”
Top tips to reduce air pollution include:
- Step into cleaner air – challenge yourself to leave the car at home, and walk, cycle or take public transport to get to work, school or the shops.
- Turn your engine off when parked – leaving the motor running is called ‘engine idling’ and produces a lot of unnecessary pollution.
- Breathe easier on your journey – skip busier and more polluted roads when walking or cycling. Explore quieter roads or Barnet’s many green spaces.
- Burn less at home – wood burning is responsible for 15% of all Barnet emissions.
Barnet Council is committed to taking action to improve air quality, raise awareness of its health impacts, and support healthier, greener ways to live. Recent highlights include:
- Tree planting: the council is half-way through its five-year plan to plant 5,000 more trees by 2028 – explore details of every tree on Barnet public land on an interactive map.
- EV infrastructure: the council is finishing installations of 500 out of 1,000 new EV chargers across Barnet.
- School streets expansion: the council’s school streets programme continues, engaging a further 18 schools by 2028.
- Cleaner council fleet: as part of the Mayor’s Air Quality Fund pan London project, the council is working on training and engaging its drivers on anti-idling.
- Cycleway improvements: new signage has been installed on the Cycleway 51 section of the Barnet Loop.
Residents are invited to celebrate this Clean Air Day by joining the New and East Barnet Faith and Peace Walk 2025, on Thursday 19 June, from 4-8pm. Explore Barnet’s rich architecture, talk about air pollution and imagine sustainable futures in a safe and active way.
Clean Air Day also marks the heart of Barnet Climate Action Month (BCAM) – a month-long series of events and community-led activities showcasing sustainability running throughout June 2025. All events are free or low-cost and open to all:
- 26 June: Actions for Silk Stream – Balsam Bash
- 27 June: How many words to Tell the World
- 28 June: Building, design and community
- 28 June: Resonant spaces
View the full BCAM event directory at: www.barnet.gov.uk/sustainability-barnet-zero/working-our-communities/barnet-climate-action-month-bcam-2025
More information about Clean Air Day can be found on the Global Action Plan website: www.actionforcleanair.org.uk/campaigns/clean-air-day
Find out more about air quality and health and what you can do to reduce your exposure, both indoors and outdoors: https://www.barnet.gov.uk/environmental-problems/air-quality/air-quality-and-your-health