The error meant that dangerous levels of nitrogen dioxide from the severely congested eight-lane motorway link over and under the Thames east of London were not reported to the European Union Gareth Fuller/PAPollution from 50 million vehicles using the Dartford Crossing each year was excluded from government air-quality assessments because it was wrongly classified as a rural road. The error, which has now been corrected, meant that dangerous levels of toxic nitrogen dioxide from the severely congested eight-lane motorway link over and under the Thames east of London were not reported to the European Union. The crossing, officially known as the A282, consists of the Dartford Tunnel and QEII Bridge and connects the M25 north and south of the River Thames. Therese Coffey, the environment minister, conceded the error in a letter obtained by the BBC. Dr Coffey said: “The A282 in Dartford does not appear in the national air-quality plan for nitrogen dioxide because it was…

Source: The Times March 06, 2017 12:01 UTC