The shutdown across the UK caused by the coronavirus outbreak has led to big drops in air pollution across major cities.

New data shows drops in tiny particle pollution of a third to a half in London, Birmingham, Bristol and Cardiff, falls of about quarter in Manchester, York and Belfast, with smaller declines in Glasgow and Newcastle. For nitrogen dioxide (NO2) pollution, the data also shows declines of a third to a half in London, Birmingham, Bristol and Cardiff, and drops of up to 20 per cent in the other cities.

The National Centre for Atmospheric Science, based at York University, also said that air quality improvements have been seen in nations around the world from Italy to China, as much transport and industry has ground to a halt. Public health experts have warned that the health damage inflicted on people by longstanding air pollution is likely to increase the death rate from coronavirus.

Professor James Lee, from the university, said: “The air is definitely much healthier. Tiny particles and NO2 are the two air pollutants that have the biggest health impacts on people. These are big changes – pollution levels are the equivalent at the moment of a holiday, say an Easter Sunday. And I think we will see an even starker drop off when the weather changes.”

The data comes from background air monitoring stations in cities, sited away from main roads. It analysed the average pollution levels for the six-week period before the onset of coronavirus outbreak around the 10 February were compared with the six weeks after.