London

London Air Pollution Responsible for About 1,000 Hospital Cases Every Year

Asthma attacks are the leading cause of children needing hospital treatment in the UK

09 April 2019 From Paul Münzner Filed Under: 2019, Climate, Featured

By means of a study, researchers from King’s College London and Imperial College London report that about 1,000 London citizens every year are hospitalized as a direct result of air pollution. Those suffering from respiratory conditions like Asthma and COPD are at risk, and about 25 percent of the hospitalizations are reported to involve children under the age of fourteen who are asthma sufferers. Older citizens living with lung conditions like COPD were also shown to be a high-risk group, particularly among those over the age of 65.

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Drivers Will Be Instructed to Turn Their Engines Off In London

In addition, the researchers point out that Asthma attacks are the leading cause of children needing hospital treatment in the UK, and that air pollution could be triggering as many as 10 percent of the cases requiring hospitalization of children. The report highlights air pollution in London as a health crisis that is causing permanent damage to children’s lung development and that is estimated to cost the capital billions per year.

The research was sponsored by London Mayor Sadiq Kahn, who hopes to draw attention to city air quality problems and who is responsible for the city’s new Ultra Low Emissions Zone (ULEZ) which was inaugurated in April. There are also plans to keep the public informed of air pollution hazards with signage in public places alerting commuters to air pollution forecasts.

“As someone who developed adult-onset asthma over the last few years, I know from personal experience that London’s toxic air is damaging people’s health,” the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said. “This study is a stark reminder that air pollution disproportionately affects the most vulnerable Londoners and I’m doing everything in my power to protect children, the elderly and those with respiratory conditions from our filthy air. That’s why next week I’ll be launching the world’s first 24-hour seven-day-a-week Ultra Low Emission Zone in the central London Congestion Charge zone, which will help clean our air and reduce harmful road transport emissions in central London by an estimated 45 percent.”

>>> Cycling in London – £770m to Reduce Air Pollution and Car Traffic

>>> UPS Tests Electric Vehicle Fleet in London and Paris

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The ULEZ will require much lower emissions from vehicles entering it and additional measures will include the introduction of Low Emissions Bus Zones as well as additional strategies like providing electric charging stations for cars. Collectively, these interventions are believed to be capable of reducing Central London emissions by 45 percent.

Air quality at schools enjoys a focus in the plan after a finding that 451 London Schools were located in areas where pollution reached levels that could be classified as toxic. Supporters of the ULEZ say that its implementation will directly affect these schools, bringing pollution down to “acceptable” levels. The city as a whole, they say, will fall within legal pollution limits for the first time since they were set.

Dr. Penny Woods, Chief Executive of the British Lung Foundation, said: “It’s important to note not everyone who is affected by air pollution ends up in hospital – thousands with conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease will avoid leaving the house because the air makes it that much harder to breathe. This isn’t fair, and it’s not right. We need to see tough measure put in place to make the air safe for Londoners – and everyone across the UK – to breathe.”

Drivers Will Be Instructed to Turn Their Engines Off In London

During such episodes drivers will be instructed to turn their engines off when stationary in order to reduce emissions

27 March 2019 From Paul Münzner Filed Under: 2019, Featured

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, is taking tough measures to tackle London’s air quality crisis, and believes it’s important that Londoners are made aware of episodes of high pollution levels. Since his election in 2016, Khan has implemented an alert system that makes use of roadside message signs alongside London’s busiest roads, electronic updates at underground stations as well as social media and text alerts.

During such episodes drivers will be instructed to turn their engines off when stationary in order to reduce emissions.

The most recent high pollution alert was on the 26th of February 2019. This episode was deemed to be due to local emissions being poorly dispersed, combined with an influx of particulates from France and Germany.

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Alerts are issued according to the air quality index, a system recommended by the government’s Committee on Medical Effects of Air Pollutants (COMEAP), and which communicates air pollution levels according to an index of 1(low) to 10 (high).

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Cycling in London - Mayor Sadiq Khan promotes cycle superhighways - eco urban cycling

Cycling in London – £770m to Reduce Air Pollution and Car Traffic

This was the tenth time that the alert system has been used since Khan became mayor, with the previous recorded high pollution event in London having been on the 25th of July 2018.

The world’s first Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) will be launched in central London in April, and is projected to reduce emissions by 45 percent. The Mayor has launched scrappage schemes that will phase out polluting vans and minibuses, scrap polluting cars and clean up the city’s bus and taxi fleets. A national scrappage scheme will target cities across the UK and Khan has called on government to assist with funding.

COMEAP advises that people with lung or heart disorders and the elderly should avoid strenuous physical activity during episodes of high pollution, especially outdoors. Even when the borough average reflects low to moderate levels, levels adjacent to busy roads will often be higher, presenting a greater likelihood of exposure to pollutants.

UPS Tests Electric Vehicle Fleet in London and Paris

London and Paris go a step further in combating their air pollution

14 May 2018 From Paul Münzner Filed Under: 2018, Featured, MOTORING

London and Paris go a step further in combating air pollution. UPS, the well-known American multinational package delivery company, announced to receive and test a 35 electric delivery vehicle fleet in both capitals. It’s indeed not the first measure and very likely not the last one, whether in Paris or London. For instance, end of 2016 a new 51-strong fleet of all-electric buses went into operation in London.

150 miles with one battery charge

UPS’ new electric vehicles, partially made of lightweight composite, have an expected distance range of up to 150 miles per charged battery. In Camden, a borough in north-west London, UPS even built a charging station for an entire fleet of EVs. This measure came exactly at the right moment. Still, we have to be clear that these 35 electric vehicles are only a drop in the ocean. But if, however, more drops follow, we can hope that it will lead to a heavy rain.

“We’re excited to collaborate with UPS to create an affordable, modular, fully electric delivery vehicle designed to make deliveries in our busy cities clean and quiet,” said Denis Sverdlov, CEO of ARRIVAL. “With its unique, wrap-around front window the driver has a much wider field of view that improves not only the safety of the driver but also that of cyclists and pedestrians.”

Up to date, UPS operating more than 300 electric vehicles in Europe and the U.S.

According to UPS, more than $750 million were invested in clean vehicle technology beginning in 2009.

We’re continuously working toward sustainable fuel in our road fleets – read our new case study published through the Future of Fuels collaboration https://t.co/yoyX3EZkBx @BSRnews #actexpo pic.twitter.com/Ti3byTPAaI
— UPS (@UPS) 8. Mai 2018

“UPS is working with ARRIVAL here in the UK because their smart electric vehicles are helping to reduce dependency on fossil fuel. This is a pioneering collaboration that helps UPS develop new ways to reduce our emissions,” said Luke Wake, international director for automotive engineering in the advanced technology group at UPS. “UPS is marshaling its global scale to encourage innovation within the automotive industry. We are helping to drive demand for these disruptive technologies. The result is a safer and cleaner fleet for the communities in which we deliver.”

Cycling in London – £770m to Reduce Air Pollution and Car Traffic

Relating to the per-capita investment, London will be on par with cycle-friendly cities in the Netherlands and Denmark

05 December 2016 From Paul Münzner Filed Under: Cycling, Featured

London is tackling increasing congestion and air pollution. The subject itself is not a novelty. Recently, the British capital was grabbing the headlines by announcing to have the largest electric powered bus fleet in Europe. However, London does not rest on its laurels. Next undertaking: Cycling in London. With a financial support of £770m for cycling initiatives in London up to 2021/2022, announced by the Mayor Sadiq Khan, expenditures for cycling will be doubled compared to the previous mayor Boris Johnson. An average £154m per year means an average per-capita investment of £17 yearly. In this case, London will be on par with cycle-friendly cities in the Netherlands and Denmark.

Two new cycle superhighways are planned to make cycling in London even more attractive

Ashok Sinha, CEO of the London Cycling Campaign, said: “This unprecedented investment in cycling shows the Mayor is serious about meeting his promises to triple the extent of London’s protected cycle lanes, fix the most dangerous junctions and enable boroughs to implement major walking and cycling schemes. It will help make London a better, greener, healthier and less congested city.”

cycling in london - cycle superhighway 2 - eco urban cycling — Cycle Superhighway 2 in front of Gala Bingo in Stratford, London (Cmglee CC BY-SA 3.0)

An essential objective is to reach or exceed 1.5 million cycle journeys per day by 2025/26. Among other things, proposals for new cycle superhighways (CS) for a safer and faster journey from Olympia to Hounslow (CS9) and Tower Bridge to Greenwich in southeast London (CS4) are on the table. Consultations will take place in 2017. Furthermore, a complete traffic separation or relocation on quiet back streets of the 5km North-South route (CS6) from Farringdon to Kings Cross is on the way. Extensions for other routes, solutions for traffic-dominated junctions, a cyclist and pedestrian bridge connecting Rotherhithe and Canary Wharf, and the elimination of gaps in cycle routes are planned, too. In the past, London’s cycle superhighways attracted criticism for safety reasons.

Cycling in London - Sign at the beginning of Cycle Superhighway CS7 - eco urban cycling — Sign at the beginning of Cycle Superhighway CS7 in Colliers Wood, London

“Our plans include consulting on two new Cycle Superhighways next year, in addition to a new East-West Route. And unlike the previous Mayor, we will continue to focus on how we can minimize disruption and congestion as we push ahead with the construction of new cycling infrastructure.” says Sadiq Khan, Mayor of London.

Cycling in London - Cycle Superhighway to Bow at Aldgate East — Improvable cycling conditions on CS2 at Aldgate East tube station. The pictured cycle lane has been replaced by a separated cycle track in 2016 (Danny CC BY-SA 3.0)

Former mayor Ken Livingstone announced the first new bicycle routes, called Cycle Superhighways, in 2008. By that time, completion was scheduled for 2012 in order to quickly connect outer London into and across central London. Unfortunately, just seven cycle superhighways, CS1—CS3 and CS5—CS8, were ready to use. Cycle Superhighway 6 from Penge to the City and Cycle Superhighway 12 from East Finchley to Angel were struck from the agenda. In the past, London’s cycle superhighways attracted some criticism for safety reasons, which, in the best case, will have an end with the £154m yearly.

Cycling in Lonson - Lane in London - eco urban cycling — Cycle lane in London (Federation European Cyclists CC BY 2.0)

London – Europe’s Largest All-Electric Bus Fleet Takes Off

London's mayor plans to replace all 300 single-deck buses in central London by 2020

16 September 2016 From Paul Münzner Filed Under: Featured, MOTORING

London’s problems with air quality aren’t a secret. Hopefully, the new 51-strong fleet of all-electric buses BYD ADL Enviro200EV for London’s routes 507 and 521 contribute to less pollution. By end of 2016, they will go into operation. Together with already running 22 all-electric buses, the entire fleet of electric powered buses up to 73 will be the largest in Europe.

The new single-deck buses are produced in Britain by Chinese company BYD and UK’s biggest bus manufacturer ADL. In order to provide a charging opportunity for phones, 12 seats in each bus are equipped with USB sockets. The first nine vehicles of the all-electric bus fleet were presented at Waterloo Bus Garage on 9 September 2016. But that’s not enough: London’s mayor plans to replace all 300 single-deck buses in central London by 2020. Additionally, all 3,100 double deck buses in the British capital will be hybrid by 2019.

The new all-electric bus fleet is a further step towards the end of conventional diesel buses

To date, 2000 buses, representing 20 percent of the entire London’s bus fleet, are hybrid electric buses. Their batteries can be charged wirelessly during a break at bus terminals. A yearly reduction by 408 tonnes carbon dioxide and by 10 tonnes harmful nitrogen oxides is expected with the help of the new 51 e-buses. Allegedly, a 16-hour ride is possible with one battery charge. The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “It’s vital that we act now to clean-up our capital’s toxic air and do everything we can to help prevent the thousands of deaths it causes each year.“

Presentation Europe's Largest all-electric bus fleet in London - BYD - Green motoring and urban transport — Leon Daniels – MD Surface Transport, TfL; Wang Chuanfu – Chairman, BYD; Val Shawcross – Deputy London Mayor for Transport; John Trayner – MD Go-Ahead London; Isbrand Ho – MD, BYD Europe (BYD Motors)

“I’ve set out a comprehensive plan to improve our air, and the transformation of London’s bus fleet will play a key role in making our transport cleaner and healthier. These first two electric bus routes right through the heart of London are another step towards the end of conventional diesel buses on our roads. This will deliver extensive air quality benefits and position us as a true world leader in adopting ultra low emission vehicle technology.” Sadiq Khan adds.

Isbrand Ho, Managing Director of BYD Europe, said: “Today is the culmination of several years of hard work and we are delighted to be here with our partners TfL, Go-Ahead and ADL inaugurating Europe’s largest electric bus fleet. We are proud that the previous largest fleet – of 35 e-buses – was also supplied by BYD to Amsterdam Schiphol airport. In the UK we have a dedicated support team, a new office, a new Country Manager and will shortly be acquiring a workshop and parts store within London. We are in discussion with several potential customers for our electric buses and look forward to helping more operators and their city governments to assist in improving air quality”, he said.

The city of Shenzhen, headquarter of BYD in China, operates the world’s largest electric bus fleet. UK is not the only customer outside of China. Amongst others, BYD sold buses in the United States, Middle East, Canada, Germany, Finland, and Brazil. Another all-electric bus fleet from BYD has been delivered to Amsterdam’s Schipol airport.