Smog may kill 50,000 every year

Traffic fumes may kill twice as many people every year as has been estimated by government experts, research published today says.

The National Society for Clean Air calls for improvements to air quality, claiming that about 50,000 people every year die prematurely from the effects of pollution.

Its report, launched to mark the 50th anniversary of the "Great London Smog", says official figures estimating that 24,000 deaths by fumes were "brought forward" in 1996 might seriously underestimate the total.

American research has shown that long-term exposure to pollution caused heart disease, cancer, and lung problems. Deaths occurred mainly among those with pre-existing medical conditions.