DON’T REV YOUR ENGINE!

WHEN driving, accelerate as smoothly as possible. Putting your foot on the throttle is the major cause of urban exhaust emissions (that can affect you inside the car, too).

IN TRAFFIC, turn the car’s air conditioning to internal circulation, so it’s only recirculating the air inside, rather than sucking in pollution from the road, particularly if behind buses and lorries.

AVOID cycling or running on main roads during peak hours, as you’ll breathe in two to three times more air containing fumes than in a car or bus.

IF WALKING or cycling, choose quieter back streets. A smartphone app by King’s College London identifies polluted routes in London. Go to itunes.apple.com and search for ‘city-air’.