Public Health England moots road pricing to tackle pollution

13/03/2019 | CHRIS AMES

Low emission zones and road pricing deliver the highest public health benefit of any transport intervention aimed at tackling the effects of air pollution, the Government’s own advisers have said.

Public Health England (PHE) was commissioned by the Government to review the evidence for effective air quality interventions and provide practical recommendations for actions to improve air quality.

It commissioned five ‘rapid evidence assessments’ that focused on vehicles and fuels; spatial planning; industry; agriculture; and people’s behaviour.

Its report states: ‘Strategies that deliver the highest public health benefit relative to transport are actions or interventions aimed at reducing the use of polluting forms of transport, such as low emission zones and road pricing.’

It adds that, in the face of the public’s reluctance to reduce their own car use unless others do the same: ‘Pricing measures are effective, particularly in the case of low and integrated fares, which facilitate greater public transport use and help reduce social exclusion, and congestion and parking charges, which can help reduce car use.’

It adds: ‘Active travel interventions, such as promoting walking and cycling at limited scale, do not generally improve air quality significantly; however, there are proven public health and environmental benefits from the added physical exercise, noise reduction, climate change mitigation and greater road safety and community cohesion.’

In the foreword to the report, Professor Paul Cosford, director of health protection and medical director at PHE, wrote: ‘The inexorable rise of road, air and sea transport, industrialisation of food production and many other factors means air quality remains a major issue for the public’s health.

‘Walking, cycling and other forms of active travel are great for improving health and reducing air pollution, but too often people are put off by the risk of exposure to high concentrations of pollutants. With an estimated effect equivalent to 28,000 – 36,000 deaths each year attributable to human-made air pollution in the UK, more action is clearly needed.’

The report states: ‘Anti-idling interventions can improve air quality in pollution hotspots or close to vulnerable receptors, such as schools or hospitals.’

However, it also states that the overall effectiveness of such interventions in improving air quality ‘was found to be low’.

A recent FOI found a total of 10 councils have handed out 59 fines to drivers across England and Wales for the offence despite having had the power to fine drivers for leaving their engines idling since 2002.

The PHE report also recommends making it easy for children to walk or cycle to school and increasing public awareness in relation to air pollution and children.

The RAC’s head of roads policy, Nicholas Lyes, said: ‘Unnecessary idling contributes to poor local air quality so it is right that we look at changing behaviours. Encouraging well-intentioned parents to switch off their engines outside schools shouldn’t be met with much resistance.

‘However, it isn’t just near schools where we should be cutting down on unnecessary idling – taxi ranks and bus stations in busy areas should also be targeted.’

The report states that the introduction of bi-mode trains and the electrification of the rail fleet would be effective in reducing emissions but adds that ‘cost and operational limitations are potential barriers to electrification of the rail network’.

In 2017 transport secretary Chris Grayling was widely criticised for cutting back on a programme of extending infrastructure to support electrification to save cash.

The Department for Transport argued that the use of bi-mode (electric/diesel) trains would provide the benefits of electrification without ‘disruptive electrification works’.

Highways InProfile

latest magazine issue
Highways jobs

Civil Enforcement Officers x 2

£26,403.00 - £28,142.00, Grade 5, 37 hours, Permanent
Parking Services are looking to recruit 2 full time Civil Enforcement Officers to complement its existing workforce. Wakefield, West Yorkshire
Recruiter: Wakefield Council

Senior Street Cleanse Technician x 3 (CDC)

Grade 6 £25,981 - £26,815
We are about to embark on an ambitious programme of change in our city. Doncaster, South Yorkshire
Recruiter: City Of Doncaster Council

Highways Development Officer

£37,280 - £40,777
This is an exciting time for a talented, self-driven professional to join us in the role of Highways Development Management Co-ordinator. Gloucester
Recruiter: Gloucestershire County Council

Principal Highways Development Officer

£48,226 - £51,35
This is an exciting time for a talented, self-driven professional to join us in the role of Highways Principal Development Management Co-ordinator . Gloucester, Gloucestershire
Recruiter: Gloucestershire County Council

Street Lighting Project Engineer

PO2 - £41,442 to £44,331
Help us keep our streets safe, efficient and ready for the future Greenwich, London (Greater)
Recruiter: Royal Borough of Greenwich

Principal Engineer - Highways Development Management

£47,181.00 - £50,269.00, Grade 11, 37 hours, Permanent
We are seeking a dedicated Principal Highways Development Management Engineer to join our team. Wakefield, West Yorkshire
Recruiter: Wakefield Council

Highways Development Management Engineer

£32,061.00 - £46,142.00, Career Grade 7-10, 37 hours, Permanent
Do you want to join a team helping to shape the future of Wakefield through HIghways Development Management? Wakefield, West Yorkshire
Recruiter: Wakefield Council

Highways Project Engineer

£31,537 - £42,839 per annum
Would you like to be part of our friendly, welcoming Highways team, proud to manage all aspects of the highway network? Boroughbridge, York
Recruiter: North Yorkshire Council

Highways Project Engineer

£31,537 - £42,839 per annum
Would you like to be part of our friendly, welcoming Highways team, proud to manage all aspects of the highway network? Skipton, North Yorkshire
Recruiter: North Yorkshire Council

Technician - Highway Inspector

Grade 8 £29,719 - £31,691 per annum
Within the Highways Maintenance Team we are looking for an enthusiastic, customer focused and experienced person Derbyshire
Recruiter: Derbyshire County Council

Highway Design and Construction Manager

Grade N, scp50 £62,443 to scp53 £65,663 per annum, plus essential car user allowance
We embrace AI to enhance our operations and to innovate our services. Bolton, Greater Manchester
Recruiter: Bolton Council

Technician - Highway Inspector

Grade 8 £29,719 - £31,691 per annum
At Derbyshire, we have been on a journey to transform the way we deliver highway services. Derbyshire
Recruiter: Derbyshire County Council

Team Leader (Maintenance Operations)

Grade 10 - £48,226 - £51,356
Cardiff is growing faster than any other capital city in Europe. Cardiff (Caerdydd)
Recruiter: Cardiff Council

Highways Supervisor

£Competitive
We have a fantastic opportunity for a permanent Highways Supervisor Forfar, Angus
Recruiter: Amey

Tree Surveyor

£Competitive
We are excited to offer fantastic opportunities for Permanent Tree Surveyors Scotland
Recruiter: Amey

Chief Operating Officer – South West Wales Corporate Joint Committee

£Competitive
We’re looking for a bold, visionary leader to take on the role of Chief Operating Officer Carmarthenshire (Sir Gaerfyrddin)
Recruiter: Carmarthenshire County Council

Clerk of Works - Highways

£Competitive
We have a fantastic opportunity for a Clerk of Works to join our dynamic NMC SW Account team at Polmadie. Glasgow, Glasgow City
Recruiter: Amey

Highways Supervisor

£Competitive
We have a fantastic opportunity for a permanent Highways Supervisor to join our NMC NE account in Kinross. Perth and Kinross
Recruiter: Amey

Planner - Highways

£Competitive
We have a fantastic opportunity for Permanent Planner – Highways to join our NMC SW Account. Glasgow City
Recruiter: Amey

Highways Maintenance Manager

£51,356 - £55,539 per annum
We are looking for an experienced Engineer to join the team as a Highways Maintenance Manager Selby, North Yorkshire
Recruiter: North Yorkshire Council
SUBSCRIBE NOW

Latest Video

Subscribe to Highways today to ensure you keep your finger on the pulse of everything happening in the UK road network throughout the year.

SUBSCRIBE NOW