Using environmental pollution data in traffic management

This concept seeks to make use of the potentially large amounts of pollution data that are becoming available in many urban areas.

There are many types of pollutant evident in urban areas, most of them byproducts of transport activities. The ability to gather, manage and process pollution data enables a local authority to fully understand the impact of transport in their city. Provision of such data in meaningful formats can be used to agree policy decisions, and can be presented to the public to help them make informed travel decisions.

As data gathering management and processing becomes more sophisticated, the data that emerges becomes more comprehensive and precise. This provides the opportunity for detailed environmental profiling, for example the location of pollution hotspots, which can ultimately inform other policy areas e.g. health. There will also be the possibility to react to short term situations, e.g. freak meteorological conditions, with appropriate policy responses.

In many cases research institutions or project consortia have led the way in developing and trialing data gathering technologies. They are supported by local authorities who assume a lead role as the technologies become more mature. Other key actors are transport operators, their staff and costumers, local business, pedestrians, motorists and policy-makers.

These are inspiring examples:

	Area Traffic Control, Leicester, UK
	MESSAGE Project, London, Leicester, Cambridge and Gateshead (UK)
	Rome, Berlin, Leicester, Rotterdam and Paris – the HEAVEN (Healthier Environment through Abatement of Vehicle Emissions) Project (2000-2003)

Click here for a 2 page document with key facts and good practice about this innovative concept.