Air Quality Issues

1
Air Quality Issues Projects in West London

• Introduction (inc. WLAQG)
• Air Quality in West London
• Trends in Air Quality
• The Need for Further Action
• Strategic Aims of the WLAQG
• Summary of Work to date
• Project overview
• Taxi Cab Best Practice Guide
• Uxbridge Road Study
• Future projects
• Contacts

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West London Air Quality Group (WLAQG)

• Formed in 1996, the West London Air Quality Group
  (WLAQG) consists of 7 local authorities
• Brent,
• Ealing,
• Hammersmith Fulham,
• Harrow,
• Hillingdon,
• Hounslow and
• Richmond upon Thames
• Air pollution does not respect borough boundaries
  and measures undertaken by individual boroughs
  can only cover small areas. By working together
  we can work in partnership to improve air quality
  over a greater area
• The group meets regularly to discuss local and
  regional air quality issues, share experience and
  undertake joint projects to help improve air
  quality across West London

3
Air Quality in West London

• There are 26 continuous monitoring stations
  distributed across the 7 boroughs
• We monitor a range of pollutants, including
  ozone, benzene and carbon monoxide
• All members of the WLAQG have declared air
  quality management areas and have developed
  Action Plans setting out measures to improve air
  quality

4
Air Quality in West London

• The key problem pollutants for all West London
  Boroughs are nitrogen dioxide (NO2) and/ or
  particulate matter (PM10)
• In some parts of West London these pollutants
  frequently exceed the nationally set objectives
  mainly along some of the busiest roads and around
  Heathrow
• Road traffic emissions are now the most important
  source of these pollutants in London

5
Air Quality - Trends

• Air quality is determined by a number of factors
  including weather and local emissions
• We meet the air quality standards for some key
  pollutants such as lead, carbon monoxide and
  benzene
• Generally the annual mean target for NO2 across
  West London has not been met since monitoring
  began and many boroughs also struggle to meet the
  PM10(daily exceedence) target level

6
The Need for Further Action

• The congestion charging zone and London LEZ are
  good examples of regional schemes that can
  contribute to improvements in air quality
• Improvements in technology will also go some way
  to improving local air quality e.g
  retrofitted vehicles, greater fuel efficiency,
  cleaner fuels
• However these measures will not be enough to meet
  the air quality targets in parts of west London
  particularly if traffic levels increase
• Additional measures are needed, particularly to
  help people reduce emissions as a result of
  everyday transport choices e.g greater use of
  sustainable transport

TfL
TfL
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Strategic Aims of the WLAQG

• In 2006 we published our revised Strategic plan
  for 2006-2011 which outlined the joint measures
  to be undertaken to improve air quality across
  the region.
• The strategy focussed on 8 key areas outlined in
  brief as follows
• Key Area 1 Transport and Air Quality Action
  Assessment
• Focus Projects which will ensure that traffic
  and measures to improve air quality are always
  linked and co-ordinated across the region
• Key action Development of a specific transport
  model for West London
• Key Area 2 Land Use Planning Integration
• Focus Use of planning conditions/ obligations to
  secure air quality improvements on relevant major
  planning applications in West London
• Key Action production of guidance for use by
  planners and request for funds secured via
  planning gain for continued air quality
  monitoring

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Strategic Aims of the WLAQG

• Key Area 3 Sustainable and Integrated Transport
  Action
• Focus Assess key transport corridors for
  sustainable transport use and recommend
  improvements Work with West London Travel
  Planning to reduce private car use
• Key Action Uxbridge Road study carried out
  Business and school travel plans implemented
  across west London
• Key Area 4 Integration of Climate Change
• Focus Ensure that climate change is considered
  in parallel with air quality considerations
  across the region and address conflicts where
  they arise
• Key Action Undertaken a climate change review of
  our Strategy and determined that there are no
  conflicts

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Strategic Aims of the WLAQG

• Key Area 5 Communication/Engagement Strategy
• Focus to ensure that air quality actions and
  measures are communicated effectively across the
  region as this is a significant contributor to
  behavioural change
• Key Action Developed website and currently
  drafting a newsletter scheduled for publication
  in the new year
• Key Area 6 Non vehicular sources
• Focus target non traffic related sources of
  air pollution such as industrial sources and
  localised contributions from construction sites
• Key Action Ensure consistency in approach across
  West London regarding the regulation of
  industrial processes, control of pollution from
  construction sites and the potential for
  increasing use of biomass boilers

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Strategic Aims of the WLAQG

• Key Area 7 Freight Movements
• Focus To ensure that a cohesive approach to the
  air quality impacts of freight is considered
  across West London
• Key Action Undertook audit of freight in West
  London which also included advising companies
  about emerging vehicle technologies, provided
  recommendations for improving fuel efficiency and
  explain the implications of initiatives such as
  the London LEZ
• Key Area 8 Heathrow Airport with operational T5
• Focus Ensure that local authority concerns
  regarding air quality are considered as part of
  the consultation process and work with other
  groups to promote sustainable travel
• Key Action Proactively review air quality
  impacts of proposed plans for expansion and
  respond to requests for consultation

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Summary of Work to Date

• List of projects undertaken as part of the
  Strategic Plan work
• Identification of air quality hotspots throughout
  the region
• Assessment of freight operations in West London
• Production of a West London Air Quality
  Supplementary Planning Document
• Route Assessment Analysis Approach of Key
  Strategic Roads in West London
• Best Practice Guide for Assessment of Traffic and
  Air Quality Impacts
• Development of a West London Air Quality website
• Development of a Traffic Emissions Model specific
  to the West London area
• Participation in the AirTEXT pollution alert
  scheme

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Best Practice Guide for Cabs

• In London, taxis have been identified as a
  particular problem due to their increased exhaust
  emissions
• Hillingdon commissioned (on behalf of WLAQG) the
  development of a best practice guide for Taxi
  operators to encourage taxi operators to reduce
  emissions and fuel consumption, and adopt safer,
  environmentally friendly driving techniques
• The guide provides an overview of technologies
  that are available for use by taxi fleets, and
  draws upon a range of best practice already being
  investigated and applied by a range of taxi
  companies using low emission technologies
• The West London group aims to promote the Guide
  throughout cab companies in the region and
  support for the project from GLA means this will
  be considered for promotion London-wide

13
Uxbridge Road Study

• The Uxbridge Road (A4020) passes through 3 west
  London boroughs and was the route of the proposed
  west London Tram scheme
• The WLAQG commissioned a baseline study to
  investigate alternative options for environmental
  improvements
• We determined existing levels of NO2 along or
  close to Uxbridge Road and assessed traffic flows
  and speeds
• A number of air quality hotspots were identified
  and actions recommended

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Uxbridge Road Study

• Short term recommendations
• Full review of signal timings and identified
  areas for improved/ increased parking enforcement
  measures
• Long term recommendations
• Future walking and cycling infrastructure to be
  developed in continuous improvements of existing
  bus routes
• Detailed parking and loading reviews and traffic
  enforcement strategy for town centres and high
  streets
• Conduct walking reviews

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Future Projects

• Produce a west London air quality newsletter and
  update the website
• Complete the west London transport and air
  quality model
• Audit the real time monitoring station network
• Continue to promote airTEXT alert scheme

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Contacts

• West London Air Quality Group Contacts
• Brent Jennifer Barrett
• Ealing Richard Ward, Alexander Beckett, John
  Freeman
• Hammersmith Fulham Paul Baker
• Harrow Paul Hargreaves
• Hillingdon Val Beale
• Hounslow Rob Gibson (Chair)
• Richmond upon Thames John Coates, Lynette Clapp
• www.westlondonairquality.org.uk