Emma E. Hellawell

Integrated decision support system for urban air quality assessment

Abstract Urban air quality is a major concern throughout the world. In the UK, local authorities are now required to improve air quality in their respective area. In most urban areas, emissions from traffic are a major contributor of harmful pollutants such as nitrogen oxides (NOX) and particulate matter (PM). Tools such as transportation and dispersion models are needed to predict any potential atmospheric pollution problems and to test the effectiveness of any air quality action plans. This paper describes a new framework to link existing air quality tools and the implementation of this framework through the development of prototype software IMPAQT (Integrated Modular Program for Air Quality Tools). IMPAQT aims to aid transport or environmental planners by increasing the efficiency of air quality assessments. IMPAQT was applied to several case studies using a countywide transportation model, an advanced atmospheric dispersion model and a desktop GIS. It was used to carry out urban air quality assessments and to test traffic scenarios. The laborious and time-consuming data preparation work involved in air quality studies was completed efficiently and in a shorter time compared with the methodology currently adopted by local authorities.

‘Habitat’ Suitability Index Mapping for Industrial Symbiosis Planning

By ‘working with the willing’, the National Industrial Symbiosis Programme (NISP) has successfully facilitated industrial symbiosis throughout the United Kingdom and, in the process, delivered significant economic and environmental benefits for both Programme members and the country as a whole. One of the keys to NISPs success is that, unlike failed attempts to plan and construct eco‐industrial systems from scratch, the Programme works largely with existing companies who have already settled in, developed, and successfully operate within a given locale. This article argues that existing and mature industrial systems provide the best prospects for identifying opportunities for, and ultimately facilitating, industrial symbiosis. Due to levels of diversification and operational fundamental niches that, in the fullness of time, develop within all industrial systems, industrially mature areas are deemed to be industrial symbiosis ‘conducive environments’. Building on the conservation biology concept of a habitat suitability index, the article presents a methodology for comparing a potential site for eco‐industrial development to a known baseline industrial ‘habitat’ already identified as being highly conducive to industrial symbiosis. The suitability index methodology is further developed and applied to a multi‐criteria evaluation geographic information system to produce a ‘habitat’ suitability map that allows practitioners to quickly identify potential industrial symbiosis hotspots (the methodology is illustrated for England). The article concludes by providing options for the development of symbiosis suitability indices and how they can be used to support the facilitation of industrial symbiosis and regional resource efficiency.

Reasons for participating in formal employer-led carpool schemes as perceived by their users

Abstract Carpooling, the process by which individuals share a private vehicle for a particular journey or journeys, has been undertaken both formally and informally for a great number of years. A variety of computational methods for undertaking the ‘ride-matching’ element for the formation of carpools have been developed and subsequently made into integrated tools to allow the formation of multiple carpools. Such tools are commonly used by both Local Authorities and employers who are looking to establish and operate their own formal carpool scheme, increasingly using a web-based interface. The aim of this paper is to understand how users enrolled with employer-led carpool schemes perceive the importance of several different factors in their decision to participate. It is a further aim to determine the importance they attach to employer provided priority parking spaces. A survey-based approach investigates the perceptions of users from six different employer operated carpool schemes in the UK. The paper suggests that saving money was perceived as the most important reason for an individuals decision to use a formal employer-led carpool scheme – even amongst carpool schemes where the employer provides significant incentives to participate. No regular access to their own vehicle and ‘more sociable travel’ were generally perceived as less important reasons to participate. For employers who offer priority parking to carpoolers, this was generally valued as important by participants, even when the employment location did not have significant parking pressures.

Long-term countywide NO2 variations in Surrey

Traffic-related air pollution is becoming a major concern in the LK, especially in the densely populated South-East of England. Much of the focus on monitoring of pollution levels has been on the atmospheric concentrations of NO,. NO, includes the secondary pollutant NOz, which is produced from the oxidation of the primary pollutant NO by ozone and partially burned hydrocarbons. NO2 is an important pollutant as it can trigger respiratory problems. The Borough Councils within the County of Surrey have been monitoring WO2 concentrations since 1993. The sampling sites are divided into three categories, which are defined by their proximity to a main road. These are categorised as kerbside, intermediate and background sites. This paper analyses the data collected from this suney, and discusses possible solutions for problems encountered whilst undertaking a spatial analysis. The long-term trends based on the seven years of data are interrogated, to identify any interannual patterns. These are discussed, with relation to changes in traffic flow and vehicle efficiency (emission rates). The results show an increase of approximately 1% per annum in NO2 levels at kerbside sites. In comparison, the background and intermediate sites decrease on average by 1% per annum. The data are also examined for seasonal trends, again split along the category groupings. The trends are explained by way of changes in the atmospheric chemistry? prevailing meteorology, and the influence of the traffic source. The effect of the spread of the data on a spatial analysis of trends is examined, and a possible remedy for some of the problems is explored.

The Implementation of the Traffic Management Act in England: The Role of Technology

For several years, the United Kingdom (UK) transport policy has discouraged the construction of additional road space to meet the rising demand for road travel. Increasingly, Local Traffic Authorities (LTAs) in England are looking towards technology and Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) for maximizing the efficiency with which they use their road networks. The aim of this paper is twofold. First, it provides a perspective on how English LTAs are using and planning to use ITS. Primarily, the recent UK Traffic Management Act influences these new strategies, which include the types of technology they are choosing. Findings are presented from some research carried out with a variety of English LTAs examining their use of and opinions concerning technology and ITS. Second, a case study is then provided on how one English LTA (Surrey County Council) is deploying ITS to help meet its new obligations. Conclusions are then drawn on the efficacy of setting central policy to influence LTAs in this manner.

A QUALITATIVE DECISION-MAKING TOOL FOR TRANSPORT PLANNERS, ASSESSING URBAN POLLUTION DUE TO TRAFFIC

The paper presents a methodology aimed at predicting urban air quality related to traffic through the production of GIS (geographic information system) vulnerability maps. The technique can be used as a decision tool for transportation planners, it can be used for what-if scenarios for preliminary assessment of future transportation strategies, and it can be used to indicate locations susceptible to air pollution due to current traffic where more detailed air quality monitoring measurement may be needed. The technique is quite general and versatile and can be extended to include a large number of variables.