Global Clean Air

Meet Xingyu Qi

By EDF Web Team / Published: August 4, 2021

Xingyu Qi graduated from the Environmental Engineering Department of Tsinghua University. His studies focus on environmental ecology and environmental management information systems, including information system design, big-data analysis, data processing and mining, algorithms and modelling for carbon emission, life-cycle assessment research of carbon emission, water and air pollution-related impacts on city ecology. In recent years he has led research on ecology and carbon emission for the Ministry of Ecology & Environment, Shenzhen City government, Xiangtan City government and Beijing Fanghan District government.

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New analysis reveals true ‘reach’ of London’s Clean Air Zone

By Oliver Lord / Published: August 4, 2021

By: Oliver Lord, Head of Policy and Campaigns, and Greg Slater, Senior Data Analyst

By incentivising cleaner vehicles, Clean Air Zones are a critical tool for improving air quality and addressing pollution from transport. Clean Air Zones are taking off across the UK – London, Bath and Birmingham have all introduced their own zones, and Manchester and Bristol are set to launch one in 2022.

Although these zones are deployed locally, our new data analysis reveals how the true ‘reach’ of Clean Air Zones goes far beyond their boundary – likely bringing air quality benefits to millions of people in London and across the country.

Clean Air Zones drive change

Clean Air Zones encourage cleaner vehicles by charging older, more polluting vehicles to enter the zones, often located in busy city centres.

In 2019 London launched its first Clean Air Zone for nitrogen dioxide (NO2) – known as the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ), which requires cleaner emissions standards for vehicles driving through central London. When looking at compliance rates, it’s easy to see how the ULEZ spurred an acceleration of cleaner vehicles. In February 2017, nearly 40% of all vehicles driving in what would become the ULEZ met the emissions standards. By the time the ULEZ debuted roughly two years later, that number had jumped to 73%.

Whilst the success of the central London ULEZ has been widely reported, it is less known that in March 2021 nearly the entire capital became an NO2 Clean Air Zone for heavy duty vehicles. That means all lorries, buses and coaches driving in Greater London must meet emissions standards or pay a fee. By the end of 2020, an average of more than 92% of heavy duty vehicles met these standards – an indication of how the industry was shifting to prepare for the restrictions.

Analysing the ‘reach’

Although the emission standards are for vehicles driving inside the Clean Air Zone, we suspected that most journeys don’t remain inside the zone – delivering health and clean air benefits beyond the boundaries.

To examine the ‘reach’ of Greater London’s Clean Air Zone for heavy duty vehicles, we analysed a dataset produced by INRIX[1] that represents trips in a sample week. Since the pandemic has been hugely disruptive since March 2020, we looked at a week from September 2019.

By focusing on trips that passed through Greater London’s Clean Air Zone, we found that heavy duty vehicles drove further outside of the zone than within – on average twice as much distance. The map below reveals how – in just one week – large vehicles that were subject to the emissions standards were consistently driving many kilometres outside of London.

We also wanted to understand how many people these vehicle journeys were potentially reaching. Again looking at heavy duty vehicles crossing through Greater London’s Clean Air Zone, we found that they passed through nearly 95% of major towns and cities in England and Wales, which together have a combined population of 18 million people.

This analysis reveals how people living and working outside Greater London’s Clean Air Zone, even as far as Cardiff and Stoke-on-Trent, also benefit from the cleaner vehicles and reduced emissions brought about by the zone. As a result, city-level policy and the introduction of Clean Air Zones can benefit the health of people throughout the UK.

[1]Data was procured from INRIX. INRIX has no affiliation with the analysis or results.

Posted in Government Official/Policymaker, London / Comments are closed

The whole country is breathing wildfire smoke

By Tammy Thompson / Published: July 27, 2021

This blog was originally posted on EDF Voices. 

Residents of New York City and other East Coast metro areas are grappling with some of the poorest air quality in those regions in more than a decade. But it’s not from traffic — it’s from a wildfire burning thousands of miles away. Oregon’s Bootleg Fire has already torched more than 340,000 acres of forests and grasslands, and its smoke is traveling across the country.

This year’s fire season, which started early due in part to record-breaking heat waves and an expansive drought, is expected to be brutal — threatening farmland, forests and grasslands throughout the western U.S. And its effects are reaching far beyond those states. Read More »

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As UK workers return to offices, here are tips for building managers to prevent a rise in energy costs and air pollution

By Elizabeth Fonseca / Published: July 26, 2021

Following COVID-19 lockdown measures, many people went from working in offices to being unemployed or furloughed or working from home. We don’t yet know what future working behaviour looks like in the UK, but there are strong indications that many people will continue to work from home, even if there are no longer pandemic-related concerns.

New research by Future Climate for Environmental Defense Fund Europe examines how this shift could impact air pollution from heating, cooling and powering homes and offices, offering recommendations for how offices can keep emissions from rising as workers return.

Pollution from homes and offices

The pandemic has laid bare one of the by-products of modern living: the air pollution created by our day-to-day activities. Air pollution has a detrimental impact on health and is attributable to the early death of thousands of people in the UK.

Much has been said about how the lockdown-related reduction in traffic and congestion in UK towns and cities led to lower levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) pollution. We have not heard as much about the pollution that comes from buildings – namely air pollution created by the way we heat and power our homes and businesses.

Across the UK, NO2 pollution from heating and powering buildings is one of the main sources of air pollution alongside road transport, manufacturing and construction. Proportions vary depending on where you are in the country and in some areas building emissions are the main source. For example, in central London buildings are the largest source of NO2 emissions – 10% higher than emissions from road transport.

An increase in home working

Data reveals that those working from home in the UK went up from 6% in January 2020 to 41% in April. Although many people were no longer going into offices, office energy consumption shrank by only 16% during that time.

With more people at home, the use of boilers in domestic settings also increases, resulting in higher NO2 emissions from residential buildings. The research by Future Climate estimates that NO2 pollution from the average home could increase by 3-5% on average. In London, where there is a higher proportion of home workers, the increase could be as much as 7%, which could result in higher gas bills as well.

Returning to the office

As restrictions ease and those of us who have been unable to work or have been restricted to working from home return to offices, people are looking at how we can do so safely.

Ventilation guidance – intended to make buildings safer to reduce the chance of virus transmission – could lead to a rise in energy usage if not managed well and, in turn, a rise in pollution. For example, the guidance advises facility managers to avoid energy-saving settings and to run ventilation units two hours before office use. Carbon Intelligence, sustainability experts that help companies move toward zero-carbon, estimates that these sorts of measures could increase energy demand in offices by 70-90%.

Additionally, since office energy consumption only went down slightly during lockdown measures, it is likely consumption will return to normal levels or higher – even before you consider the ventilation guidance.

Carbon Intelligence highlights short-term recommendations for facility managers to reduce heat and energy needs, operating costs and pollution, including:

  • Ensure that scheduling of heating and ventilation systems match the building’s occupancy, e.g. reducing operation during out-of-office hours.
  • Ensure that boiler combustion systems are calibrated to maximise efficiency at low firing rates during times of reduced demand.
  • In less occupied areas, consider providing comfort heating with standalone units (e.g. radiant heaters or fans) to avoid the need for central heating/cooling plant operation.

A healthier future

With many offices buildings still not back at full occupancy, this could also be a good time to think more long-term and invest in low-pollution heating systems. Heat-pumps, geo-thermal energy and solar collectors are all supported by the government’s non-domestic renewable heat incentive and have zero local emissions.

In the recovery from COVID-19, everyone wants safe ventilation and cleaner air to stay healthy. Changing dynamics likely mean more people working from home in the UK, while offices use the same or more heat and power even with fewer people. By taking short and longer-term measures to prevent a rise in air pollution, building and facilities managers can help protect people’s health.

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When it comes to air pollution in Mexico City, data is power.

By Sergio Sanchez / Published: June 23, 2021

Mexico City is known around the world for its culture and rich history, but also for its struggle against air pollution. The information provided by the city’s state-of-the-art air quality monitoring system has been crucial for triggering large-scale actions that have made air quality significantly better over the last thirty years. However, the system also reveals that there are still seasonal spikes of high pollution levels and that air quality improvement trends slowed down during the last decade. In late 2019, new measures were officially announced by the Environmental Commission to reinforce air pollution abatement efforts, one of them focused on technology innovation.

That’s why last September I joined environmental authorities from the Government of Mexico City, the Government of the State of Mexico, the Environmental Commission of the Megalopolis, and the Federal Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources to launch a working group and a collaborative effort aimed to design a methodology for a proof of concept of hyperlocal air quality monitoring system in the Mexican capital that supplement city’s existing monitoring network to catalyze innovative actions for improving air quality.

The importance of hyperlocal monitoring

New international research has shown that air pollution varies at the street level, and can be vastly different for families living only one block away. Cities around the world including London, Beijing, Los Angeles and Medellin have been using microsensors for air quality monitoring and are seeing excellent results. With this data, practitioners are broadening their knowledge and capacities to localize and prioritize key areas where immediate action to mitigate air pollution is required.

Hyperlocal monitoring provides compelling evidence to make the case for air pollution abatement actions and can help inform the design of transformational interventions and investments in key sectors such as in transportation, land use and infrastructure. It also empowers communities to reduce exposure and foster localized solutions to protect public health, reduce health inequities and pursue environmental justice.

A step forward to make the invisible visible

This June, our working group launched a proposed methodology for designing and implementing a community-level air quality monitoring system in a 19 km2 area in the northern part of Mexico City. The study area was explicitly selected for the coexistence of a mix of major pollution sources (industrial facilities, transportation hubs and freight and major passenger roadways) with vulnerable groups exposed to air pollution in multiple hospitals, schools, parks and sport centers, in an area with high population density with diverse socioeconomic backgrounds.

The methodology has been based on a sound analysis of the local context and conditions in Mexico City, the best available information about hyperlocal technologies, and the current best available practices in this field. In particular, it has been grounded in EDF’s experience with similar projects around the world, incorporating insights from national and international specialists and systematized recommendations and tools for designing hyperlocal air quality monitoring networks to catalyze clean air solutions as outlined in our Making the Invisible Visible: A Guide to Mapping Hyperlocal Air Pollution to Drive Clean Air Actions, and the Breathe London Blueprint guides.

Importantly, the methodology included broad participatory process involving experts in relevant fields from major universities, research centers, civil society organizations, international development institutions and government agencies, which ensured that the proof of concept hyperlocal air quality network design and approach was built upon the solid Mexican experience in comprehensive air quality management.

What’s next

Based on the design of the proof of concept, the Mexico City government will prepare the implementation of the first phase. This consists of a performance assessment of technology options needed to execute the hyperlocal monitoring and development of institutional capacities needed for operation, maintenance, data management, and communications for this monitoring system.

As we look towards the future, it’s critical to have this hyperlocal data to enhance institutional capacities, build community support and forge evidence-based policies that drastically reduce pollution while building more resilient communities. We are excited by the opportunity that this partnership offers in advancing clean air for all.

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New projects in European cities will trial clean air solutions for freight

By Felicia Douglas / Published: June 22, 2021

Ravenna, Italy

Following the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, people turned to home deliveries to safely meet their needs, furthering the rise in demand for parcels, and, consequently, an increase of vans and trucks on the roads. The freight sector is energy-intensive with last mile delivery relying largely on polluting diesel vehicles – creating air and noise pollution, congestion and greenhouse gas emissions.

Cities need innovative freight solutions now more than ever to protect public health, transform the sector and contribute to a cleaner, more sustainable urban logistics system.

That’s why Environmental Defense Fund Europe (EDF Europe) is excited to partner with POLIS – a leading network of European cities and regions promoting innovative transport solutions – on a new collaboration for zero-emission zones for freight.

The freight opportunity

The freight sector – which includes transport trucks, delivery and service vans, construction vehicles and dustbin lorries – is a major part of city economies. Freight transport is also a major source of greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution. In the European Union (EU), trucks contribute 22% of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from road transport, yet they only account for 2% of all vehicles on the road. Currently, vans are the fastest growing source of road transport emissions in the EU. Additionally, freight vehicles powered by fossil fuels also produce health-harming pollutants such as nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and fine particulate matter (PM2.5).

There is huge potential to decarbonise the freight sector and improve the urban environment, and one pathway is zero-emission zones for freight. These zones only allow freight and delivery vehicles that are zero-emission (e.g., electric vans and cargo bikes) to enter – bringing benefits like lower congestion, safer roads, cleaner air and reduced carbon emissions.

The SURF project

Many European cities are beginning to incorporate freight into sustainable urban logistics plans, presenting an opportunity for EDF Europe and POLIS to support cities by providing guidance and tools to implement innovative transport measures.

The Sustainable Urban Freight (SURF) project aims to guide city planners, business leaders and other freight decision-makers in developing a strategy for sustainable freight transport. SURF is focused on the design and implementation of zero-emission zones for freight and employs a series of peer-to-peer learning activities, expert support and rapid studies or ‘Instant Projects’ with on-the-ground implementation.

Instant Projects

The Instant Projects are small-scale prototypes that will generate lessons to inform the wider urban freight community and create local, immediate impact. We are excited to announce the three successful applicants for the SURF Instant Projects:

  • Aarhus, Denmark: A port city with 280,000 residents

Project: Integrate urban freight transport in site-specific logistics plans in connection with large infrastructure projects near the central train station. 

“The project will be a natural progression from the more strategic plans for transportation and logistics at a wide city level to a more operational plan for a specific geographic area where considerable challenges are faced. We hope that others will learn from our experience and work to transform cities in a way that allows for more sustainable logistics solutions,” – Louise Overvad Jensen, Engineer, Development Consultant

  • Karditsa, Greece: A flat, inland city with 40,000 residents

Project: Pilot deliveries for local businesses using e-cargo bikes with an emphasis on raising awareness and building partnerships.

“We are currently defining a strategy for decarbonising urban logistics throughout the city, so the SURF project arrives at the perfect time. Our local businesses are eager to promote sustainable mobility and cargo bikes present an excellent opportunity for expanding zero-emission deliveries,” – Natalia Tzellou, Head of the Department of Development Planning

  • Ravenna, Italy: A port city and regional capital with 160,000 residents

Project: Define a roadmap towards a zero-emission zone for freight and introduce a ‘Freight Quality Partnership’ as a permanent participatory process tool for stakeholder engagement.

“Ravenna is committed to making urban freight transport green, efficient and resilient. This project will allow us to work on zero-emission zones for freight focused in the city center and develop the potential to expand to the whole municipality.

This project will raise ambition and generate cascading effects that speed up the process towards decarbonisation and the vision of a more livable and accessible city,” – Nicola Scanferla, Manager, Senior Transport and Mobility

Tipping the scale

The total number of small and medium-sized cities in the EU far outweighs the number of large city centres. These cities can serve as an ideal ground for testing and implementing new transport strategies and services that are crucial for the most pressing mobility challenges. The three Instant Project cities, all small and medium-sized, will demonstrate solutions and pathways that other European towns and cities can replicate and scale up.

Many cities are rethinking how to move forward after the pandemic and create healthier communities. Reducing emissions and congestion from freight logistics is a critical pathway to a more sustainable transport system. The SURF project aims to advance clean air and climate goals through not only the Instant Projects but also by means of a Capacity Building Programme. The objective of this e-course is to raise awareness and equip policymakers, practitioners and operators with long-lasting capabilities to support the transition to zero-emission deliveries.

We look forward to sharing lessons, key results and tools from the Instant Projects later this year that will help other cities develop a roadmap to zero-emission freight and transform polluted urban roads, improve people’s health and protect the climate.

 

If you have experience in providing technical advisory support on urban freight, training or relevant studies, or you have a relevant project or study to showcase, please feel free to express your interest by means of this form to be considered for the capacity building e-course.

For a further introduction to the SURF project and to hear about what other European cities are doing to reduce the impacts of freight, you can watch the April 2021 webinar here.

Photo credit: Vivida Photo PC/shutterstock.com

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London’s major roads are putting children at risk of developing asthma

By Oliver Lord / Published: May 4, 2021

Greg Slater, Senior Data Analyst, and Oliver Lord, Head of Policy and Campaigns

The pollution and health impacts from London’s busiest roads – the Red Routes – go far beyond the streets themselves.

As a result of the nitrogen dioxide (NO2) that comes solely from vehicle pollution on the Red Routes, our new analysis estimates 9% of the city’s children may be living in an area where they are at a significantly higher risk of developing asthma. The analysis shows the area of increased asthma risk from Red Route pollution is seven times the size of the roads themselves.

Londoners don’t have to live directly on the major roads to experience the increased risk from their pollution. The capital needs a new vision for the city’s most polluted roads, including a comprehensive traffic-reduction plan that reduces health inequities.

Transport pollution and asthma

Our previous analysis shows how the Red Routes have far higher levels of NO2 pollution than the average thoroughfare.

To examine this in more detail and shed light on the health burden for local communities, we looked at a new modelled dataset produced by Cambridge Environmental Research Consultants (CERC) as part of the Breathe London pilot project that isolates the vehicle NO2 pollution from the Red Routes and shows where this pollution travels in the air.

In recent years, there has been building evidence of an association between exposure to traffic-related air pollution and the development of childhood asthma. In their review of research into this topic, Khreis et al (2017) found that the risk of new paediatric asthma cases increased by 5% with every 4 µg/m3 of NO2 air pollution.

We applied these findings to the modelled dataset of Red Route pollution and found levels of 4 µg/m3 NO2 and higher – just from the Red Routes – covers an area seven times bigger than that of the roads themselves. The map below displays in black where the Red Routes alone are adding at least 4 µg/m3 of extra NO2 pollution, which could increase the risk of children developing asthma by at least 5%.

We estimate 9% of London children live in the area with at least 4 µg/m3 of extra NO2 pollution from the Red Routes. Our estimates indicate these children have a significantly increased risk of developing asthma unless action is taken to reduce vehicle-related pollution on the Red Routes. This is in addition to existing asthma cases, which can be aggravated by elevated pollution levels. The map also shows levels of NO2 at or greater than 2 µg/m3, which can carry health risks as well.

Zooming in to a more local level, the map below shows the north section of the Red Route Old Kent Road and the surrounding area. The colours demonstrate how the pollution spreads beyond the road boundaries, with dark grey representing at least 4 µg/m3 of NO2 pollution from the Red Routes. Here we see the model suggests areas close to the road are all in dark grey. Residential areas much further away are also affected by Red Route pollution.

And that’s just a small slice of air pollution that London children are likely exposed to. We have looked at the Red Routes in isolation to demonstrate how pollution from major roads travels in the city. However, there are of course other roads and pollution sources, as well as air pollutants associated with traffic emissions like fine particulate matter (PM2.5) that must also be accounted for a complete picture of the health impacts.

London needs action now to protect young lungs. The next Mayor of London should commit to a bold vision and urgent action plan to address the volume of vehicles on the Red Routes and to assess if the network is still fit for purpose.

Please see here for the methods behind this data analysis.

Further detail on the health impacts of the Red Routes can be found in our paper with Centric Lab, Rethinking London’s Red Routes: From red to green. You can also watch a relevant discussion here, which took place at a Centre for London webinar with health and transport experts. 

Posted in Health, London, Public Health/Environmental Official / Comments are closed

The simple switch pubs and restaurants can make that will have a big impact on air pollution

By Elizabeth Fonseca / Published: April 12, 2021

Hospitality is a major part of the UK’s economy, which has taken a significant hit since the start of the pandemic. In London alone, there are nearly 14,000 businesses that are either a pub, a restaurant or a café – providing employment and services to millions.

In order for these businesses to safely re-open, providing outdoor seating – and heating – will be crucial. As pubs, cafes and restaurants look for heating options, it is important to choose electric heaters over gas to avoid exposing their staff and the public to air pollutants that are dangerous to health.

Polluting gas heaters

New research by Future Climate for Environmental Defense Fund Europe found that the local nitrogen oxides (NOx) pollution produced by a single standard outdoor gas heater at 5 hours per day for a year is approximately the same as that produced by a typical gas-heated home for a year. After road transport, heating and powering homes and businesses with gas is the second largest source of NOx pollution in London.

Yet a gas-heated home disperses this pollution outside, away from inhabitants, while the outdoor gas heater is emitting that pollution directly into the surrounding space and likely the air that customers and workers breathe. So if a beer garden has 10 gas heaters working for a single night – that’s equivalent to the pollution from gas heating 10 homes, all packed into the space where several people are sitting.

Benefits of electric heaters

Fortunately, there is an alternative that does not produce any local NOx air pollution emissions, uses less energy and produces 60% less carbon dioxide: electric heaters. In addition to the environmental and health advantages, electric heaters have many other benefits:

  • Cheaper to operate.
  • Can be put on a timer making them more efficient.
  • Can be mounted on different surfaces to be nearer to where they are needed.

Electric heaters also are better suited for the outdoors because they are designed to transmit heat to surfaces without heating up the air. As a result, electric heaters are less impacted than gas heaters by cold air and wind, which can reduce and blow away the warmth produced by gas heaters.

Local authorities should adopt pavement licensing schemes that do not permit gas heaters, like Newcastle City Council has in place. Or, authorities should prioritise giving licenses to venues that use electric heaters with controls. Similarly, any public funding to help businesses adopt social distancing measures with outdoor seating should be on the condition that measures are put in place to limit air pollutant and greenhouse gas emissions.

Other ways to reduce pollution

There are other ways that businesses can contribute to a green and healthier recovery. By making changes to the way pubs, cafes and restaurants cook food, they can reduce pollution and protect people’s health.

Future Climate’s research using the latest London Atmospheric Emissions Inventory tells us that half of the fine particulate matter (PM2.5) pollution produced in central London comes from commercial cooking – mainly grilling and frying, or anything where fat is heated or smoke is made. According to Defra, there is no lower threshold for PM2.5. Any amount can be harmful to people’s health.

Businesses can reduce the pollution they produce by using oils with higher smoke points, reducing the surface area of oil exposed to the air when frying and cooking on electric rather than gas burners, which produce NOx like the outdoor gas heaters. Cooking of any kind using wood or charcoal results in PM2.5 pollution and should be avoided wherever possible.

As many pubs and restaurants are gearing up to reopen, now is the time to consider the simple switch – from gas to electric heaters – that will warm patios and people without creating local air pollution.

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Better data is critical to address health disparities in air pollution’s impacts

By EDF Web Team / Published: March 31, 2021

Ananya Roy, Senior Health Scientist, and Maria Harris, Environmental Epidemiologist 

The last several months have seen a wave of momentum in policies seeking toward advance environmental justice and equity through better data collection and mapping. In his first week in office, President Biden signed an executive order to initiate the development of a screening and mapping tool to identify disadvantaged communities with the goal of informing equitable decision making. And legislation introduced in the House of Representatives and Senate would launch a similar effort. This focus on data and mapping is critical.  

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Posted in Environmental Justice, Government Official/Policymaker, Health, Homepage, Oakland, Partners, Public Health/Environmental Official, Science / Comments are closed

London’s major roads are noisy, polluted and outdated. It’s time to make the Red Routes healthier and more equitable.

By EDF Web Team / Published: March 31, 2021

Oliver Lord, Head of Policy and Campaigns

London’s major roads – the Red Routes – cut across the capital and carry up to a third of traffic on a typical day. Like in many global cities, these busy, outdated roads create air pollution and environmental stressors that harm people’s health in different ways.

A new discussion paper from Environmental Defense Fund Europe and Centric Lab examines health inequities along the Red Routes and highlights why now is the time for a new, healthier vision for London’s major roads.

Prioritising motor traffic

A swathe of regulations and investment, or lack there of, over a long period of time have prioritised motor traffic in London. In the 1990s, the Government introduced its ‘Red Routes’ policy to designate ’clearways’ in the capital on which through traffic movements would gain greater priority over local journeys. The Red Routes – also known as the Transport for London road network (TLRN) – cut across the capital and carry up to a third of traffic on a typical day.

The prioritisation of motor traffic significantly impacts London’s environment and creates health inequities in the city. Motor vehicle dependency remains high amongst residents and the number of miles driven by commercial vans has risen exponentially in recent years. Moreover, the Red Routes network was established in a time mostly unrecognisable today – when diesel did not have a prominent use, estimates of how the city would grow were more conservative and e-commerce deliveries were unheard of.

Air pollution and health

Pollution Zone sign by Choked Up

Londoners living, working, visiting and going to school near to a busy road are exposed to far greater levels of air pollution than elsewhere in the capital. This is a particular case for the Red Routes. According to new modelled data by Cambridge Environmental Research Consultants as part of the Breathe London pilot project, in comparison to an average road in London levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) pollution are 57% higher and levels of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) are 35% higher on these roads. The Red Routes will also likely be some of the last areas in the UK to meet air quality thresholds as recommended by the World Health Organization.

Ruth Fitzharris, a London mother of a young son, has felt these dangerous impacts first-hand. In the past few years her son had 12 asthma attacks, two of them life-threatening. Ruth says she was informed by the head of a severe asthmatic clinic that air pollution was a significant contributory factor to her son’s condition. Additionally, her consultant pediatrician with specialism in respiratory medicine advised her to avoid main roads when possible.

Health assessment on Red Routes

Data analysis is needed to better understand the health impacts of the Red Routes and to identify who is at greatest risk. Centric Lab undertook a health assessment of the Red Routes network – the findings are presented in the discussion paper, alongside a data matrix available for download.

The health impacts of transport-related air pollution are multifactorial and systemic. To understand the full extent of how air pollution impacts a person’s life, Centric Lab considered proximity to pollution sources alongside other pollution types (e.g., noise and light), as well as intervening social and behavioural stressors. Examples of these stressors include feeling physiologically safe, legibility and socio-economic differences.

The health assessment brings to light people’s lived experience along the Red Routes. For example, it identified how the A12 between Poplar and Bromley By Bow is a particular concern for the neurodiverse community (e.g., people on the autism spectrum or with dyslexia), as air pollution impacts are compounded by complex, disorganised and noisy environments. Similarly, the A13 between Whitechapel and Limehouse can be overbearing for children owing to environmental stressors and high levels of air pollution affecting their early stages of development. The assessment concluded all parts of the Red Routes are a priority for intervention and action should be taken to make them significantly healthier and safer.

Time for change

As the capital strives for cleaner air and considers a firm action plan to decarbonise the city, data suggests the Red Routes policy is ripe for a review. Red Routes continue to be designated primarily areas for motor movement, conflicting with the growing number of people who live and conduct daily activities by these roads.

London is also at risk of being left behind in a global movement to transform polluted arterial roads in cities. Examples include transformation projects in Seoul, Barcelona and Paris, where major thoroughfares have either been repurposed or demolished to reduce the dominance of motor vehicles. Policymakers must come together to assess whether the Red Routes are still fit for purpose, so London can become a healthier and more equitable city.

You can read the full discussion paper here. You can watch a relevant discussion here, which took place at a Centre for London webinar with health and transport experts. 

Posted in Environmental Justice, Health, London / Comments are closed