High air pollution alert issued in London as fog disrupts UK travel

By Seyma Erkul Dayanc ISTANBUL (AA) - A high air pollution alert was issued in London on Monday after dense fog and light winds caused pollution to build up over the weekend, while forecasters warned of travel disruptions across parts of the UK, Sky News reported. London Mayor Sadiq Khan urged residents to “minimise their exposure” to polluted air, according to his office. Forecasters at Imperial College London recommended the alert after fog and light winds allowed pollution to accumulate and linger into Monday morning, the mayor’s office said.

Smoke from Bonfire Night and Diwali fireworks was also likely to have contributed. Residents were advised to reduce car use and avoid unnecessary burning at home. Mete Coban, London’s deputy mayor for environment and energy, said air pollution caused thousands of premature deaths in the capital each year and urged people to protect vulnerable groups. The Met Office issued a yellow fog warning for parts of England and Wales until 10 am local time (1000GMT) on Monday, warning that visibility could fall below 100 meters (328 feet) and cause delays to road, rail and air travel.

The warning covered areas from Luton to Manchester. The fog was expected to clear during the morning, with cooler and frosty conditions forecast later in the week. Dense fog had already disrupted traffic on Saturday, when a crash involving more than 30 vehicles led to the closure of part of the M20 motorway in Kent. Two people were seriously injured. Met Office Chief Meteorologist Jason Kelly said increasing cloud cover and winds were expected to limit further widespread fog.