Busy Vauxhall Bridge has breached London’s annual air quality limits, less than three months into the year.

High concentrations of dangerous particles from traffic and construction is behind air pollution exceeding legal limits for the 36th day this year.

Legal limits for tiny particles called PM10, which can be inhaled and be absorbed into your blood, allow 35 days per year with a mean concentration greater than 50 micrograms per cubic metre.

The London Air Quality Network at King’s College London said London breached European and UK air quality limit values for the year on March 18.

“The first measured breach took place at the Lambeth – Bondway Interchange measurement site and was for PM10 particle pollution.

“This monitoring site, to the south of Vauxhall Bridge is close to traffic and many construction sites. The exact cause of the PM10 particle problems at this location will be subject to detailed investigation, however, initial analysis indicates a combination of particle pollution from nearby traffic as well as local construction.

“Whilst much policy and media attention is focused on nitrogen dioxide, this breach of the limit value for PM10 shows the complexity of urban air pollution sources,” they said.

A Lambeth Council spokesman said council staff were visiting construction sites in the area to ensure they were following best practise.

He said: “We recognise the concerns around air quality in this area, and we are working closely with partners, including building contractors and developers, to tackle this issue.

 “We have taken a number of actions to reduce particle pollution and have already written to all developers in the area and have visited all sites. Lambeth has a construction compliance officer dedicated to working around Nine Elms and Vauxhall to ensure there is best practice on site by all developers to control emissions.”

Last year annual air pollution limits on Brixton Road were breached by January 30, compared to the previous year when it was breached in just six days.