The UK Clean Air Act at 70: An interdisciplinary analysis of historical air quality change

Abstract

Abstract 2026 marks the 70th anniversary of the first UK Clean Air Act, a pivotal moment for air quality in modern British history. Previous narratives on this legislation have largely centred on pollution in London and monodisciplinary perspectives. This article integrates historical research with reconstructed estimates of PM2.5 concentrations to spotlight three other UK cities: Glasgow, Sheffield and Cardiff. It explores the relationship between air pollution and local histories to develop understanding of the wider geographical picture, while positioning the Clean Air Act 1956 within a longer chronology of air quality change from the industrial revolution to the twenty‐first century.