1.4.2 Urban Air Quality Flashcards
Examples of atmospheric pollution reduction policies
- ULEZ
- Public transport
- Carbon taxes
How many Londoners die prematurely from air pollution each year?
Estimated 9,400.
London Congestion Charge
Charge is on average £11.50 per day with high emission vehicles being charged more (on a sliding scale). Hybrid and electric cars are free.
Benefits of the congestion charge
- Traffic reduced by 21%.
- Bus passenger numbers have increased by 45%.
- Cyclists have increased by 43%.
- Road traffic accidents are down by 5%.
- CO2 and NO2 emissions down by 12%.
ULEZ
Ultra-low emission zone
London ULEZ
A specified area of London where the most polluting vehicles are required to pay a daily charge. - Introduced in February 2008.
How much does the London ULEZ cost?
Small vehicles will pay around £12.50 per day but heavier polluting vehicles will pay around £100 per day. This is an addition to the congestion charge.
24h per day, 7 days per week, 365 days per year.
How many vehicles are affected daily by the London ULEZ?
An estimated 68,000 vehicles.
Boris Bikes
One of the largest bike hire schemes in Europe, having started operations in 2010.
Been used almost 92m times in the last 10 years.
Expanded (doubled) from 350 docking stations to 780!
Hybrid buses
- There are 3,773 hybrid, 316 fully electric and 10 hydrogen buses in London. – Making up over 1/3 of all buses in London.
Benefits of hybrid buses
- These buses are quieter, cleaner and more fuel efficient than standard diesel buses, hybrids reduce emissions of CO2 by at least 30% compared with conventional buses.
- Reduced CO2 emissions by around 98,000 tonnes per year.
Plug-in car grant
Government incentive for buying of ULEZ vehicles.
This is automatically deducted from the price of the vehicle.
Scheme favours electric cars.
Pros of electric cars
- No Co2 or greenhouse gas emissions
- Government incentives
- No congestion charge or ULEZ
- Free road tax
Cons of electric cars
- Limited infrastructure
- Higher initial costs
- Higher mantenance costs
Controlling vehicles: Athens
The city declared an area of 2.5km2 in the centre, traffic free.
Controlling vehicles: British CBDs
Many British towns and cities have pedestrianised in their Central Business Districts (CBD).
Controlling vehicles: London
ULEZ and congestion charges have attempted to control vehicle numbers.
Controlling vehicles: Mexico
“Hoy no Circula” (don’t drive today) – Council policy that bans all vehicles from being driven in the city on one weekday per week, the vehicle registration number determining the day.
Persuade the use of public transport
e.g. Manchester’s development of a tram system, the development of bus-only lanes into city centres. Park and Ride schemes, car-sharing schemes.
Zoning of industry
Industry is placed downwind in cities and planning legislation has forced companies to build higher factory chimneys to emit pollutants above the inversion layer.
Why is particulate pollution more prevalent in urban areas?
The concentration of particulates in urban areas is much higher than in rural areas.
What are the sources of particulates in urban areas?
- Vehicle exhausts – they produce very fine particulates. About 80% of fine particles in urban areas are from vehicle exhausts.
- Burning of refuse, cigarettes and fuel (e.g. coal) – this produces both fine and coarse particulates (e.g. sulphates, nitrates, soot and ash).
- Construction, mining and quarrying – these activities produce coarse particulates (e.g. tiny fragments of rock, brick and cement dust).
- Plants and moulds – generate coarse particulates (e.g. pollen and mould spores).
What are particulates?
Tiny pieces of solids and tiny droplets of liquids floating in the air.
What is photochemical smog?
Pollutants such as nitrogen oxides, sulphur oxides and hydrocarbons come from burning fossil fuels (e.g. in vehicles and factories).
When these pollutants come into contact with sunlight, the UV light causes them to break down into harmful chemicals (e.g. ozone) which form photochemical smog.
