Air quality in the vicinity of urban roads.

Motor vehicle emissions are a major source of CO, NOx and lead particulate concentrations to urban air quality. London urban Boroughs with high traffic densities are therefore a particular cause for concern. The air quality was monitored at an urban background site in the London Borough of Haringey for 2-years. The results of this study are assessed and their effect on human health is considered in the light of EC Directives and WHO guidelines. A desk top modelling technique based on Gaussian diffusion theory was used to predict the CO levels found at the background site. All predicted levels had a accuracy of better than 30%.