ULEZ: Croydon lung cancer survivor says attempts to clean up London’s air are ‘essential’

A 66-year-old Croydon resident who was told his lung cancer was likely caused by air pollution has said schemes such as the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) expansion are key to improving the capital’s health.

Soumitra Bose, a retired finance director who previously worked for consumer goods giant Unilever, told LondonWorld he found out he had lung cancer by pure chance in 2021.

Mr Bose said that, having retired early, he had taken up charity work in Bangladesh and Calcutta. Having been out of the country for around seven years, he was due to return back home to London in 2021.

Before doing so, he decided to have an X-ray done of his lungs to check for any issues, and it was then that he was told he had early-stage cancer.

Thankfully, Mr Bose was able to have surgery in India later that year, and after receiving chemo between December and February, was given the all-clear. He is now on a three-year course of medication, and has monthly blood reports and quarterly scans.

He has since joined the lung cancer charity EGFR Positive UK, and is currently its treasurer.

As a non-smoker, Mr Bose said following his diagnosis, he began “wondering why it had happened and asking my oncologist, and reading about it”.

It was his oncologist who told him air pollution was likely an aggravating factor.

Mr Bose said: “I had no symptoms. As I said, being a non-smoker, it was a huge surprise. And I was just wondering. But one always knows about pollution, and Calcutta is one of the highest polluting cities in the world. So it somewhat made sense to me.”

‘A step in the right direction’

LondonWorld spoke to Mr Bose as Transport for London (TfL) announced it had added 80 zero-emission buses to the fleet in Sutton, south-west London, and less than a week before the ULEZ is expanded to cover the whole of the capital.

City Hall estimates around 4,000 premature deaths annually are due to air pollution in the capital. The mayor’s team also found earlier this year that every London borough currently exceeds the World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines for toxic nitrogen dioxide.

Mr Bose said while he acknowledges the air in London is better than in cities such as Calcutta, he believes the shift to zero-emission vehicles in the capital remains “essential, and the right way to go” to limit the impacts of pollution on human health.

On the ULEZ, Mr Bose said he understands the expansion will be difficult for some people.

“But, we have to really move in this direction,” he added. “I feel we have to educate people, and then move in this step.

“Maybe we did it a little bit hurriedly, it could have had more consultation and then the implementation. Because to me, I always believe unless you get that support from people you can’t make changes, and any changes require that sort of participation of the people.”

Zero-emission buses and the ULEZ

The 80 zero-emission buses introduced in Sutton over the last few weeks is the latest step in Sadiq Khan’s plans to transition the whole fleet by 2034, or 2030 with additional government support.

According to TfL, hitting the target will save an estimated 4.8 million tonnes of carbon by 2034.

Seb Dance, the deputy mayor for transport, said: “Growing London’s zero-emission bus fleet, which is now the largest in Europe, is an important part of the mayor’s commitment to reduce toxic air and respond to the climate crisis.

“The mayor promised Londoners that he would improve transport links in outer London. These new zero-emission buses, improvements and service increases will not only help Londoners get around our city, but improve air quality as we continue building a better, greener, fairer London for everyone.”

The announcement of the additional buses also comes just six days before the ULEZ is expanded to cover the whole of greater London.

From August 29, all drivers of non-compliant vehicles will be liable to pay a £12.50 daily charge. The mayor, with backing from groups including doctors and environmental campaigners, has said the expansion is key to cleaning up London’s air.

However, significant opposition to the scheme, and an unsuccessful High Court challenge launched by five Conservative councils, has been raised due to concerns over it being rolled out during a cost-of-living crisis.