'Ban cars in London during Olympics to avoid EU pollution fines'

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Environmental experts say "drastic measures", including banning some cars or stopping older diesel vehicles entering central London, may be necessary to avoid gridlock and excessive fumes.

The International Olympic Committee can withhold up to 25 per cent of the expected £700 million in broadcasting revenue if air quality exceeds EU levels during the Games.

Levels of small particulate matter are above the legal limit now and London faces a £300 million fine by the end of the year if they do not fall. Beijing banned more than a million cars and closed some factories during the last Olympics in 2008, amid worries over athletes' health.

The Olympic Delivery Committee's strategic environmental assessment report said further breaches of EU rules were expected in London because of heavy traffic during the 2012 Games.

However, Transport for London said that while businesses would be consulted on delivery and transport schedules during the Games, there were no plans to ban cars. The Department for Transport also ruled out the measure. It is hoped that encouraging firms to let employees work from home or stagger their journeys to work will calm rush-hour traffic during the Games.

Jenny Jones, Green Party mayoral candidate, said pollution had been "ignored by successive Governments. Maybe with such large sums of money involved, they will do something about it."

Simon Birkett, of Campaign for Clean Air for London, said: "The Mayor should ban all the most polluting vehicles from the most polluted part of London during the Olympics and thereafter. By doing so, he would ensure... London delivers on its promise to deliver the greenest Games ever."

In 2005 the Government and the then mayor, Ken Livingstone, signed an agreement with the IOC promising to meet pollution targets or risk fines.

But sport minister Hugh Robertson said: "I think it is unlikely, with all the efforts that are being made to make the Games environmentally friendly, that any fines will be handed out."