There’s an app that shows you the least polluted routes through London

Time Out tries and tests the best apps for city living. This week: give your lungs a break with City Air.

What is it?

Developed by King’s College London and the City of London Corporation, City Air is a guide to getting around London in the healthiest way possible by dodging air pollution. With its new update (available on iOS, with an Android update due soon), the app maps the concentration of pollution on multiple routes. Input your destination and it’ll show you routes with low, middle and high pollution levels, thanks to information received every hour using data from monitoring stations.

Why do I need it?

In our choked-up capital, any way to reduce your exposure to pollution is worthwhile. Even if you can’t choose the least polluted route every time, it’s good to know which roads have consistently toxic air, as small regular changes can add up to major health benefits. The app can also alert you on days when the pollution is forecast to be high. The interface is still a little clunky, but as an idea this is a real breath of fresh air.

Free. iOS and Android. 50MB. Download it from www.cityairapp.com.

And here are five ways you can limit your exposure to air pollution.