London Air Is Clean, Surprise Finding Shows

                 New study counters earlier conclusions on car
                 pollution

                 LONDON -- Millions of dollars spent combating traffic
                 pollution on health grounds may be wasted, because
                 vehicle emissions now cause little harm, according to
                 official research that contradicts previous thinking, a
                 report has said.

                 Health ministers were reluctant initially to publish the
                 new report by respected academics because it counters
                 previous government beliefs.

                 Research published in 1998 suggested that up to 24,000
                 people a year died prematurely because of pollution and
                 that road traffic was a major cause, The Times reported
                 yesterday. However, The Times said that the latest study
                 ranked London as the world's cleanest large city.

                 It had the lowest pollution levels of 20 cities with
                 populations above 10 million, including Tokyo, New
                 York and Los Angeles.

                 The Department of Health report on London said that
                 pollution accounted for a minute proportion of
                 health-care spending in Britain's most congested city.

                 It added that 7 million (S$19.3 million) -- less than 0.2
                 per cent of London's health budget -- was spent dealing
                 with the effects of pollution compared with 94 million --
                 or 2 per cent -- on road accidents.

                 It also said that out-of-date statistics had been used to
                 support the argument frequently put forward by
                 ministers, that traffic pollution posed a serious health
                 problem.

                 The fact was lead emissions had been almost eliminated,
                 sulphur dioxide and particulates had fallen dramatically
                 and ozone levels were lower in London than in most
                 other parts of the country, despite heavy traffic, The
                 Times reported.

                       Adapted from The Straits Times, 19 Jan 2000.