The study found an 8.1 percent reduction in annual cardiovascular disease trends, a 6.2 percent decline in respiratory illnesses and a 3.1 percent drop in overall hospital admissions in central London following the introduction of low-emission traffic measures.

Credits: Unsplash; Author: aron-van-de-pol;

The findings add to evidence that air-quality policies may deliver public health benefits alongside environmental gains. Researchers stressed that caution is needed when interpreting results from complex urban interventions, but said the study broadly supports the idea that comparable schemes in other cities could contribute to improved health outcomes if adapted to local conditions.