New York City's congestion charge reduced pollution levels by 22%

Pollution in some parts of Manhattan has decreased by 22% in the first six months of this year after the introduction of a congestion charge in the city centre, reports Bloomberg, citing an analysis by Cornell University. The initiative is expected to generate $500 million in net income in 2025.

Passenger cars pay $9 during peak hours to enter the toll zone, which covers the area from 60th Street to lower Manhattan.

The funds raised will go towards upgrading the city's transport infrastructure, which is over a hundred years old.

For 518 days, researchers tracked data from 42 air quality sensors across New York City. Between January and June, the average level of PM2.5 – tiny particles that easily penetrate the respiratory tract – decreased by 3.05 micrograms per cubic meter.

This represents 22% of the projected level of 13.8 micrograms per cubic meter that would be observed without the introduction of a charge for entering congested zones.

"Our overall conclusion is that congestion pricing in New York City, as in many other cities around the world that have implemented it, has helped not only to improve traffic flow but also to reduce the concentration of air pollutants, improve air quality, and should be beneficial for public health," said Oliver Gao, senior author of the report and director of the Center for Transportation, Environment and Public Health at Cornell University.

Even areas not included in the paid zone experienced positive changes. In five city boroughs, the average pollution level decreased by 1.07 micrograms per cubic meter. In the wider New York region – from Long Island and the northern suburbs to neighboring counties in New Jersey – a decrease of 0.70 micrograms per cubic meter was recorded.

• The introduction of a congestion charge has reduced traffic by approximately 11% and is projected to generate about $500 million in net revenue in 2025.