Revealed: London's Monopoly on toxic air ... from Park Lane to Old Kent Road

London's toxic air scandal was laid bare today with a new “Monopoly board” of pollution hotstpots.

Environmental lawyers ClientEarth, who forced the Government through the High Court to improve its air quality plans, examined official pollution data for some of London’s most famous streets.

Dark blue Park Lane is one of the priciest areas, but the analysis discovered that nitrogen dioxide annual average for 2015 was 91 micrograms per cubic metre of air, more than double the 40 microgram/m3 EU limit — and is predicted to be 77 this year.

Unlike its Monopoly board counterpart, Oxford Street is far from green, with an average reading of 91 microgram/m3 two years ago. It is forecast to be 67 in 2017. The reading in Regent Street was 69 microgram/m3 in 2015 and is predicted to be 56 this year.

For the reds, Fleet Street and the Strand both had a recording of 93 microgram/m3 and a projection of 80 for this year, while the figures for Trafalgar Square were 74 microgram/m3 and 58. A roll of the dice and it’s on to the yellows, where Piccadilly’s data for the two years is 97 microgram/m3 and 83 respectively, while Coventry Street’s is 70 microgram/m3 and 59.

ClientEarth’s chief executive James Thornton said: “It’s an absolute scandal that the streets which our capital city is most famous for are still engulfed by invisible pollution at toxic levels.

“It’s affecting the health of city residents, workers, tourists and children. These limits should have been met nationally in 2010 and yet the Government’s inaction continues to jeopardise our health.”

Simon Birkett, founder of Clean Air in London, joked: “The Government’s failure to tackle toxic air is so disgraceful that ministers should ‘Go to Jail without passing Go’.”

The pinks come straight after “Jail”, with Pall Mall the worst on 84 microgram/m3 two years ago, and now set to be 69, Whitehall on 67 microgram/m3 and 54, and Northumberland Avenue 58 microgram/m3 and 51. All the coloured properties on the stretch between “Go” and “Jail” are toxic air blackspots, according to ClientEarth.

Among the light blues, Euston Road had the highest reading in 2015 of 93 microgram/m3 and is forecast to be at 83 this year, followed by The Angel, Islington, on 72 microgram/m3 and 63, with Pentonville Road 62 microgram/m3 and 55.

Buying the Old Kent Road may not cost much, but its NO2 average two years ago was 55 microgram/m3 and is expected to now be 48. Whitechapel Road is slightly worse at 57 microgram/m3 and 49.

A government spokeswoman said: “Reducing roadside pollution is a priority for this government, which is why we have put in place a £3 billion plan to reduce harmful emissions and clean up our air. Next year the Government will publish a comprehensive Clean Air Strategy which will address all sources of air pollution.”