London Air Pollution

Understanding the Impacts of Air Pollution on Transport and Health in the Built Environment: A Policy Demonstrator for Central London

This proposal is a joint cooperation between two groups in London University – the ERG at Kings College and CASA at University College under the auspices of the Air Pollution Research in London (APRIL) network. The proposal will develop:

London Air Pollution

  • A framework for linking air pollution, traffic, and health related data in the population within the geographic information system called ‘Virtual London’
  • Ways in which air pollution diffuses within the building and street geometry of central London, extending the state of the art in the way air pollution is modelled geographically
  • A preliminary analysis of the geographical impact of pollution on the health of working and resident populations within the street and building geometry
  • A fully navigable 3D model of 20 square kilometres of central London in a form in which end users – scientists, informed publics and lay publics – can examine the pollution data and its consequences for traffic planning
  • Movies and other media from the model which will add to the King’s ERG website http://www.londonair.org.uk/
  • A new web site linking both the APRIL, ERG/King’s and CASA/UCL sites which will specifically deal with air pollution in central London and ways the links between health and pollution can be mapped and modelled
  • Links to other public learning web sites such as that being pioneered by Equinox for schools in London, in association with the GLA
  • Examples of ways in which the London Demonstrator can be used to test policy implications of changes in pollution, street and building geometry
  • Usual final reporting, academic papers, and consequent publicity which we consider might be organised through the BOC Foundation
  • We are asking for £50,000 from BOC which will be used to pay two researchers part time (50%) for one year and would also cover dissemination in a variety of forms. A related proposal to ESRC for the same monies would complement this research but this project is not dependent on this.

People

  • Steve Evans

Key facts

  • Short Title: London Air Pollution
  • Sponsored by: British Oxygen Foundation
  • Start date: 01/06/2005
  • End date: 31/05/2009