CUE: Urban Air Quality

Question 1

What is the urban air quality like?

Answer 1

• there is a lot more pollution
• particulates are fine particles - 80% in urban areas are from vehicle exhausts
• Burning of refuse produces fine and coarse particles: sulphates, nitrates, soot and ash
• Construction, mining and quarrying produce coarse particulates
• Coal-burning power stations
• plants and moulds can also generate coarse particulates - pollens and spores

Question 2

How can other types of pollution lead to photo-chemical smog?

Answer 2

Nitrogen oxides, sulphur oxides and hydrocarbons come from burning fossil fuels.
•When these pollutants come into contact with sunlight, the UV light causes them to break down into harmful chemicals (e.g. low-level ozone) which form photochemical smog.
•This is linked to health problems - breathing difficulties (asthma), headaches and eye irritation.

Question 3

What was Londons ‘Peasouper’ smog of 1952?

Answer 3

Smog that lasted 5 days and claimed 4000 lives

Question 4

How can air pollution be reduced?

Answer 4

• Congestion charging
• Pedestrianisation
• Public transport improvements/alternative transport
• Traffic reduction
• more green spaces
• Legislation
• Alternative fuels/renewable energy

Question 5

What’s an example in London of air pollution being tackled?

Answer 5

1956 Clean Air Act – prompted by 1952 ‘pea-soup’ smog
- Law to reduce smoke being emitted.
- All councils must monitor and act on air quality
- But 2015, London was still exceeding UK and EU ‘safe’ levels

Question 6

What other strategies has London implemented more recently?

Answer 6

1. Congestion Charges - £15 daily charge if you drive within the congestion charge zone 7am-6pm, Mon-Fri and 12-6pm Sat-Sun.
2. Pedestrian Zones - more than 600 school streets have been in partnerships with London Boroughs. School streets restrict vehicle access outside a school during drop off and pick up times. Makes it safer and easier for the children traveling to school by foot, bike and scooter, as well as improving air quality for them

Question 7

What did Londons Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) do?

Answer 7

Delivered a 36% reduction in NO2 in the first 6 months after its launch in 2019.

Question 8

How are Mumbai planning on reducing their traffic?

Answer 8

They will have a massive road structure, the Mumbai Coastal Road Project - designed to improve connectivity significantly in South Bombay. It is a 8 lane project with bike lanes and bus stops. It claims to reduce time travel by 70% and save 34% fuel.

Question 9

What does the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) do to reduce air pollution in Mumbai in 2022?

Answer 9

• Electrification of BMC vehicles and provision of charging infrastructure.
• 3000 electric BEST buses are being procured
• Conversion of old BMC diesel/ petrol vehicles into CNG vehicles
• Fully Adaptive Traffic Control systems are already installed at 258 junctions. They are to be upgraded to latest technologies and impact on the traffic flow and pollution would be studied and to be further expanded for balance 395 junctions.
• Robust air quality monitoring system
• Mechanical/ e-power sweepers for dust cleaning
• Procurement of sprinklers to settle dust on roads and footpaths
• lakh trees to be planted through ecologically sustainable planting practices.