The target location for the Clean Air Initiative's first pilot deployment. A high-pollution arterial road with existing independent monitoring infrastructure — the ideal location to prove the concept and measure real-world impact.
Six reasons Brixton Road is a strong location to demonstrate that the Clean Air Initiative works — and that the results can be independently verified.
| Element | Specification |
|---|---|
| Number of posts | 25–40 column upgrades along a defined stretch of Brixton Road |
| Duration | Minimum 12 months — capturing all seasons and weather conditions |
| Independent monitoring | LAQN and Breathe London — before, during, and after installation. Monthly reporting. |
| Target outcome | A measurable local reduction in NO₂ and PM2.5 at pavement level around the columns, independently monitored with the columns on and off |
| Prototype cost | £5,000–£15,000 for a single fully functional test unit |
| Pilot deployment cost | £50,000–£100,000 for 25–40 posts including installation and monitoring |
| Public dashboard | Live throughout pilot. Press launch at installation. Monthly data updates. |
| Approvals required | Lambeth Council highways, UK Power Networks load confirmation, street works permits |
| Planning permission | Not required — like-for-like replacement of existing permitted infrastructure (subject to site-specific review) |
Our target is grounded in published precedent. A peer-reviewed roadside study in Hong Kong (Li et al., 2024) measured hourly-average reductions of roughly 14–17% for NO₂ and 3.5–10% for PM2.5 from a corridor of closely-spaced roadside units. Our own early modelling of a London school frontage suggests the effect is largest right by the columns and in calm, polluted hours, and smaller when averaged over a whole street.
Larger effects are an aspiration, not a guarantee, pursued through tighter unit spacing and placement on both sides of the corridor, both of which that study found improve performance. Effect sizes are modest and depend on wind and humidity, and a Hong Kong canyon differs from a London high street, which is precisely why the Brixton pilot exists: to produce London-specific evidence, independently monitored.
The path from a single test unit on one Brixton lamppost to a national clean air network — and the milestones that unlock each phase.
The pilot combines grant funding (reducing investment risk) with private investment. Multiple funding routes are available and being pursued simultaneously.