Covid 19 Coronavirus: Cleaner air in the capital a lockdown silver lining

Wellingtonians can breathe a little easier, thanks to traffic air pollution dropping significantly in the first full week of lockdown.

Greater Wellington Regional Council has released data showing from March 26 to April 1 traffic air pollution dropped by 72 per cent as a weekly average compared to the same period over the previous four years.

In Upper Hutt, a more residential area, air pollution levels also fell by 63 per cent.

Tough Covid-19 lockdown measures were brought in at midnight March 26, meaning all New Zealanders were required to self-isolate in their homes.

Wellington City Councillor Laurie Foon said the lockdown has forced us to do to something we probably couldn't have voluntarily done.

"To get these kind of results in a drop in air pollution is something we can all be really proud of."

She said we now have an opportunity to be really clear on how we are producing pollution and emissions

"Maybe now that we have proved we can work from home, working locally may be a solution we can work towards in the future."

Black carbon levels, an indicator of traffic particulate matter - especially diesel vehicles, measured at Wellington central also fell by 63 per cent.

Foon said the lockdown was an opportunity for us to reconnect and reflect on how each one of us were contributing to the emissions.

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Auckland has also seen a reduction in traffic pollution levels during the lockdown, with Queen St dropping by around 50 per cent.

NIWA air-quality scientist Dr Ian Longley told NZME that was nothing compared to what they were seeing in suburban Auckland.

He said out West the instruments are struggling to detect anything at all.

Meanwhile in Takapuna, near the Northern Motorway, levels had reduced by close to 80 per cent.

Cycling Action Network spokesperson Patrick Morgan was also encouraged by the results.

"No one thinks that a lockdown is good news for New Zealand but there is some good news within that and it is great news to hear air pollution is significantly down."

He hoped this would encourage people to shift their transport away from fossil fuels towards cleaner transport like cycling and walking.

"Our challenge to the Government is to lock in the benefits of less car-dependence and invest more in cycling."