Should my year 7 DS travel to school on the London Underground?

[Juliet57]

The London Underground is the most polluted part of the city. The level of air pollution underground is very high. It is proven that air pollution is particularly detrimental to children. And so I wonder whether DC should travel on the tube. Anybody have a DC travelling to school on the tube?

When you make the choice to live in London you have to accept all that goes with it. Not that hard to understand?

So if you're born here & decide to stay you can't expect anything to change? Why did they introduce LTNs & the ULEZ?

@Goldenbear apparently if it's a problem we should move 😆

How bizarre to choose to live in London and worry about air pollution.

Why is it bizarre? I'm a 2nd gen immigrant with no other ties to the rest of the country. Plus I love London. I'm lucky that I live in a relatively "clean" part of London, close to a common & with little traffic. That is not true for all Londoners & many of those who are stuck in areas where air quality is poor can't just up & move.

I actually don't live in London anymore but most of my immediate family do and they don't want to move, they love it there- I think to expect better is certainly not bizarre or strange or odd. As I said it is an important political issue.

I love that people seem to think air pollution issues in London are somehow made up or exaggerated! It's a massive problem. But Op your DC won't be in it for that long every day (compared to living in a very bad spot for it) and the Underground is probably the safest way in other respects.

I mean do people not even read the papers.

Nobody has suggested any such thing?

Yes if a level of confidence to travel on it, and your assertion about the Underground being the most polluted part of London I disagree with. Try anyone living near a main road, or near Heathrow Airport.

The worst pollution is your tv and mainstream media that is constantly poisoning your minds.

Alone? No, never.

With you? Yes, fine, if there’s no alternative way to get there.

What do you think all the other Year 7's do?! They're certainly not taken by the hand by their mummy's, I can assure you.

You don't think that secondary school children should get the tube without their parents? 😄

From 11, children are allowed to ride the tube and buses without an accompanying adult.

If you care that much why an earth are you living in London? Plus a short journey is as nothing compared to years of day living near an A road or a traffic clogged high street. I would worry more about levels of pollution where you eat, sleep and live.

Really? I thought it had the highest woodland of any UK county and woods clean the air.

you of course your child should. Thousands of children take the tube to school every day. Have you not seen the hundreds of the travelling to city boys and city girls alone?

@VintageGibbon I'm just guessing but I think its down to localised hot spots of pollution. Apparently the A3 just outside Guildford is one of the worst places for it, you'd never think it to see the road but as the road isn't large enough for the amount of traffic the daily jams lead to a lot of idling engines.

How polluted is the London Underground?

Exactly. I have asthma and so does my DD.

This would worry me as well, and although the effects are not immediate on kids it can possibly affect them later in life (I know lots of people who have COPD/asthma from being exposed to chemicals when they were younger) But what can you do except drive her yourself or move?

No!

London is the world's first national park city and is 47% green. Not saying there's no pollution problem but it's worth knowing
www.nationalparkcity.london

Air quality checker for London

londonair.org.uk/LondonAir/Default.aspx

Kids are used to masks now. There’s one benefit of the pandemic! He could wear a well-fitted mask, if you’re concerned. People have done so in very polluted parts of the world for decades. Not a terrible idea.

My DC took the tube to and from school every school day from year 7 (alone). It’s completely normal. If vulnerable to air pollution, you could look at the bus etc. Hopefully with the introduction of ULEZ etc, pollutants will diminish