Calls to clean up England’s ‘toxic air’ as GP visits for asthma attacks rise 45%
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/jun/29/england-air-pollution-gp-visits-for-asthma-attacks-rise-45-per-cent
Posted by Wagamaga
Calls to clean up England’s ‘toxic air’ as GP visits for asthma attacks rise 45%
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2025/jun/29/england-air-pollution-gp-visits-for-asthma-attacks-rise-45-per-cent
Posted by Wagamaga
19 Comments
The number of patients being treated by GPs for asthma attacks has increased by 45% in a year, prompting calls for urgent action to tackle toxic levels of air pollution.
There were 45,458 presentations to family doctors in England between January and June this year, according to data from the Royal College of General Practitioners research and surveillance centre. Across the same period in 2024, there were 31,376 cases.
The figures come a week after a damning report by the Royal College of Physicians revealed that 99% of the UK population was now breathing in “toxic air”. Air pollution was killing 500 people a week and costing £27bn a year in ill health, NHS care and productivity losses, the research showed.
New data from the RCGP research and surveillance centre shows the rate of asthma attacks in 2025 has consistently been above the five-year average.
Exacerbations of asthma – attacks which cause breathlessness and chest tightness – were, alongside other environmental and lifestyle factors, closely linked to air pollution as patients’ airways could be irritated by exposure to harmful matter, the RCGP said.
There is still no cure for asthma, and sufferers have to pay for monthly prescriptions to literally enable them to breathe.
Cut back on Cars and log burners. I’m sure we can have a non emotional conversation about this.
C’mahn Cohagen, you got what you want! Give dis people air!
I don’t know how general this is but I can tell you of my experience with the GP’s/hospitals in handling my mother’s asthma.
The simple answer: they don’t do anything.
For the past year she has had trouble breathing even with her inhalers, and has been hospitalised 3 times because of it.
Her GP just makes hospital referrals stating there is nothing they can do.
Hospitals have done nothing and have literally said it’s not their job, it’s the GP’s job. This has happened with 3 different hospitals. The ‘respiratory department’ has said it is NOT their problem! Madness!
When she has been admitted to hospitals they pump her full of anti-biotic and steroids and give her tonnes of nebulised asthma meds and send her off after a week or so and she is fine for a couple of weeks then back to having breathing problems.
There is no advice from the GP or hospitals.
As meds are not working, I’ve resorted to trial and error with supplements and I’ve found some that make a difference but unfortunately she can’t take long term because of the interactions with her other meds.
So is the so called ‘toxic air’ to blame or shit management from GP’s and hospitals causing repeat visits?
This entire article is living in a weird fantasy world where Britain’s air somehow isn’t the cleanest in 2025 that it has been for the last 250 years. Yes it could still be even cleaner, but ignoring the fact that we have and are making rapid progress already is just plain dishonest
What we should do is remove all the benefits people used to get for buying an electric car. That should clean the air up.
“99% of the UK population was now breathing in “toxic air”
“there was no safe level of air pollutants”
Well, durr. This is a self-fulfilling prophecy then.
It would be interesting to plot this against the rise in use of air fresheners. When I was a kid these things didn’t exist, but today you cannot do anywhere that doesn’t have them. Those plug-in one definitely cause cancer as well.
Typical clickbait headlines. If you look at the air quality of the UK, its not at toxic levels at all
So .any people sit in their cars with the engine running for no reason. Why is this a thing?
Careful with news like this it will bring out the ULEZ hooligans.
Doctors don’t help themselves in the fight against anti-science simpletons when they think a 45% YoY increase in asthma attacks can be attributable solely to air pollution which has been improving year over year since about 1990.
I had real issues with the ULEZ expansion around London, mainly as I was affected as my car (which I adored) was not compliant with the zone. I also had severe issues (and still do) with the types and sizes of vehicles that are compliant vs non-compliant.
That all said, it’s noticeable on the roads outside London now when you’re following an older diesel car, the smell and evident fumes are something you genuinely don’t get within London any more (rarely, anyway).
We often talk about reducing emissions, but what if vehicles could go a step further and actively clean the air they move through?
Here’s my idea.
Some modern diesel engines, under specific conditions, have been shown to emit exhaust that contains fewer particulates than the ambient air they take in. A 2020 [report by Emissions Analytics](https://www.motoringresearch.com/car-news/can-diesel-engines-clean-urban-air/) found that certain Euro 6 diesel cars, thanks to advanced Diesel Particulate Filters (DPFs), could actually reduce airborne particulates in polluted environments. That said, this only applies to particulates—not nitrogen oxides (NOₓ), which are still a major concern.
So here’s the idea:
Why not equip electric vehicles (EVs) with air-filtration systems that clean the air as they drive?
– EVs already produce zero tailpipe emissions.
– They have more space under the hood (no engine), which could house HEPA or activated carbon filters.
– Some companies like [Meyle](https://pmmonline.co.uk/article/meyle-explains-ev-air-filter-technology/) and [MANN+HUMMEL](https://www.mann-filter.com/en/news-stories/e-mobility-filtration-solutions.html) are already developing high-performance cabin filters that trap NOₓ, PM₂.₅, and even viruses.
– With a bit of innovation, these filters could be adapted to clean external air, not just cabin air.
Yes, it would use a bit of battery power—but no more than running the AC or heated seats. And in traffic, a fleet of EVs acting as mobile air purifiers could make a real dent in local pollution levels.
Not that we should stop progressing, but I thought our air quality was pretty good?
A good strong robust cycling network would go an extremely long way but it won’t happen. I’m not talking about spray painted paths that cars drive on, I’m talking about the same style the netherlands have, where priority goes cyclists > pedestrians > cars for safety
But I thought Khan and Ulez fixed all of this? We should be breathing pixie dust by now
Also one of the problems. All the road closures and smaller roads have caused way more congestion and traffic. Shutting bridges, no entry roads is pushing way more traffic onto main roads. My work journey used to take 45 mins with shortcuts, now it’s almost 2 hours. Before you ask I have to drive to carry all my tools, it’s not always as simple as “get a train/bus”. Everyone is now spending more time idling and having longer journeys in general
I never had asthma as a kid, but developed it withing a few years of living directly under a flight path. Nobody ever seems to want to reduce them. (unless its private use and then suddenly evil)