Effects of Oxford s Low Emission Zone in Improving Air Quality Ian Halliday Air Quality Officer Oxford City Council

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1 Effects of Oxford s Low Emission Zone in Improving Air Quality Ian Halliday Air Quality Officer Oxford City Council 9 June 2015

2 Oxford 9.5 Million Tourists 1/5 Children 152,000 live in Poverty Population 50% Commute into City 25% Annual Population Turnover Parts of City amongst 20% most deprived in England Least affordable housing in the country (11 x average salary) 33% Between of Age Life Expectancy 10 Years longer if you live in North compared to South 80% Occupancy in P&R

3 Oxford City Centre

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6 Air quality monitoring in Oxford

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8 Local Air Quality Management The centre of Oxford was designated as an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) in 2001, because assessments of air quality predicted that the annual mean objective for nitrogen dioxide (NO2) of 40 μg/m 3, would not be met in a number of areas. In 2010 the entire city was declared an AQMA. The main contributor to poor air quality is traffic. A picture has been established of localised air pollution hot-spots close to roads. Central Oxford, At locations near to high volumes of traffic, such as roundabouts on the ring road, Slow moving and congested traffic in locations such as city and district centres.

9 Building up a picture of air quality

10 Air Quality Action Plan Oxford City Council adopted a City Centre Air Quality Action Plan (AQAP) on the 24th April The main action proposed in the AQAP was a feasibility study for the introduction of a Low Emission Zone (LEZ) for certain streets in the AQMA. Oxford City Council and Oxfordshire County Council agreed to jointly fund the cost of the LEZ feasibility study. A Steering Group, made up of Lead Members and officers from the City and County Councils, was set up to consider the work on the feasibility study as it progressed.

11 Oxford is a two tier, non-unitary Authority Local Air Quality Management process: Established the nature and extent of the problem. Provided the basis for dialogue with Transport Authority. Raised public and local political awareness of air quality issues Established joint City-County working group Air Quality Action Plan integrated into the Local Transport Plan (LTP), with air quality targets Developed a traffic emissions inventory which was key to local assessment Demonstrates that existing measures in LTP insufficient to meet targets Led to the commissioning of a feasibility study to determine effectiveness of LEZ options

12 LEZ feasibility assessment Accounts for planned developments Low Emission Zone scheme assessed as additional to these changes Prime focus of a LEZ should be to reduce the impact on health from air pollution (i.e. reduce emissions of particulate matter) but also, if possible, to move towards achieving the relevant air quality objectives (i.e. reduce emissions of oxides of nitrogen) Schemes to be assessed for their overall feasibility and cost-effectiveness Propose geographical extent, types of vehicle and timescales

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14 Review & Assessment Joint Scrutiny Nov ; Oxford Transport Strategy Improve environment in city centre, enhanced bus provision, extend park & ride, Bus priority, modal shift to bus, pedestrianise Cornmarket, High St Bus Gate. AQMA s Detailed Assessment Action Plan 2006 LEZ Steering Group 2006 LTP Air quality shared priority Develop additional measures to meet targets City-wide AQMA LEZ declaration City-wide Action Plan LTP Reduce transport emissions city-wide

15 2006 AQAP 2007 Stage 1 Feasibility Study 2008 Stage 2 Feasibility Study 2009 City & County Council Approval 2013 Traffic Regulation Condition 2014 Implementation!

16 LEZ standard All local bus services within the streets affected must be operated exclusively by buses whose engines meet the Euro V emission standard (for nitrogen oxides (NOx)), either as a new engine or a vehicle that has been retrofitted with equipment to reduce emissions in order to achieve the Euro V standard (for NOx).

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18 Resulting fleet mix New Euro V vehicles New Euro V EEV Vehicles New Electric Hybrids Retrofit existing Euro III and IV with SCR technology New Euro VI vehicles

19 LEZ is not the only measure LEZ part of a basket of measures. Recent initiatives have included the following measures to reduce bus emissions: Integrated ticketing leading to reductions in overall bus numbers; Re-routeing of buses and re-location of bus stops; Investment in cleaner greener vehicles by bus operators.

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22 After

23 Averagre nitrogen dioxide concentration (ug/m3) Annual mean measured in LEZ St Aldates High Street Objective St Ebbe's - Background Year

24 60 Number of exceedances Air Quality Standard for 2005 (NO2) Hourly Mean > 200 µgm

25 Annual Mean NO2 Concentration (ug/m3) Three year rolling annual mean nitrogen dioxide concentration (ug/m3) High St New Rd St Aldates (Town Hall) Park End St Bonn Sq Floyd's Row Speedwell St Queen St George Street George St/Magdalen St High(rpm) Hythe Bridge St

26 Annual Mean NO2 Concentration (ug/m3 Annual mean nitrogen dioxide concentration (ug/m3) High St New Rd St Aldates (Town Hall) Park End St Bonn Sq Floyd's Row Speedwell St Queen St George Street George St/Magdalen St High St/ Turl St Hythe Bridge St

27 What has been achieved Raised awareness of air quality issues with elected members, public and bus operating companies. Encouraging early results from monitoring, although not as big a reduction as predicted. Developed a partnership working approach. Lays a foundation for future developments.

28 Key learning points Established joint steering group with both councils Involved lead politicians and officers Robust evidence base Considered wide set of options for LEZ Early consultation with main bus operators vital to success. Significant officer resource required Lengthy timescale from inception to implementation National Framework would have been helpful

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30 Acknowledgements Roger Pitman Martin Kraftl (Oxfordshire County Council) Dick Helling (Oxfordshire County Council)

31 Ian Halliday Air Quality Officer Oxford City Council