Transport is the main cause of pollution in towns and cities in the UK
Last year the Department for Transport (DfT) estimated that a petrol car journey from London to Glasgow emitted around 4 times more CO2 per passenger than the equivalent journey by coach. Air quality monitoring data also indicates that road transport is responsible for an estimated 20-30% of all air polluting emissions across the UK.
However, because road transport emissions are concentrated in the road network which runs through the country’s highly populated towns and cities, they are much more damaging to air quality and public health than this stat suggests.
To meet the UK’s Net Zero targets by 2050 it’s critical we start decarbonising roads now
The quickest way to decarbonise roads is through modal shift. We need to encourage people out of cars and into more sustainable modes of transport.
To achieve that, though, we need to make roads not just safer but more attractive to pedestrians, cyclists and other vulnerable users. This can only be done through Strategic Transport Management with data to support it.
Interventions like low traffic neighbourhoods, protected cycle lanes, modal filters and prioritised signalling, all improve road safety – which encourages more people to travel by bike, foot, or other forms of micromobility.
Using data to Support Cleaner, Greener, Towns and Cities
Planning, monitoring and evaluating the impact of these programmes is critical to success.
Long-term, 24/7 multimodal data provides invaluable insight. Compare road user movements, behaviors and trends, alongside modal share and flow data, prior to – and post-implementation. Then use the datasets to evaluate performance, make any improvements, and communicate your success. Plus, of course, using them to support Council-wide buy in and directing future investment in new strategic schemes.
Don’t Miss Out: Air Quality Grant Scheme
Deadline for applications: 23 September 2022
The Government’s Air Quality Grant Scheme promises an allocation of at least £7m to English local authorities to support air quality improvement in their area. The fund targets Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) emissions, of which road transport is the primary source.
Strategic sustainable transport investment is a proven way to cut emissions and improve air quality. Viva’s traffic sensors provide multimodal insights which are second to none – optimising long-term monitoring and making them a great evaluation tool for assessing modal shift.
Data collection throughout is key
Use Viva’s dashboard for insights into:
- Baseline data: measuring current travel patterns and future change, informing the design, rolling out schemes, and establishing clear objectives
- Active scheme data: collect insights on flows, behaviors, speed and interactions across a vast range of transport modes – not only vehicles but pedestrians, joggers, cyclists and e-scooters.
- Post implementation: Review data and compare against the baseline to easily measure impact
Witness Live Monitoring Data
Viva’s dashboard makes it quick and easy to visualise trends. Use the Intervention Analysis tool to compare traffic volumes before and after interventions.
Want to share the insights or do further analyses? Simply share graphs or download the data to read into the tool of your choice.
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