One Year Of Sheffield's Clean Air Zone: Polluting Vehicles Fall By Two-Thirds

[hackey lad]

13 minutes ago, SheffieldForum said:

I always thought you were supposed to get answers by asking the Organ Grinder....?

 

 

Ooh , bet that stings  😃

[Planner1]

44 minutes ago, RollingJ said:

(1) Does it matter what livery the buses have - the important information is the destination screen. The vehicles are compliant with PSV laws/rules already, otherwise they wouldn't be on the road - I recall the mass removal of ex-Sheffield Transport vehicles for failing by the Traffic Commissioners when they did an inspection just after the 'Mainline' operation started.

There is already a single source of timetable information - ever heard of TSY?

 

(2)What - massive - difference is there between operators ticket pricing?

It matters to some.

 

Some people have an aversion to public transport being provided by private companies for profit.

 

Lots of people look at how things are run in London and think it’s better. I’m not sure that they see how much TfL are losing and appreciate how it all actually works.

 

You don’t need to be patronising, I know very well where to find timetable and fare information. Others say they find it confusing that operators have their own ticketing and timetable setup and so do the MCA. A single source of info and fare system would be seen as beneficial.

 

As has been discussed at length before, people around here ( and elsewhere) have a perception that a publicly owned / operated system would provide cheaper fares as there wouldn’t be the profit element. Some think that the service will be better / more frequent. I’m not so sure.

 

Perhaps better to see how Manchester and others get on with it first before deciding, but politicians won’t want to be seen as lagging behind.

[RollingJ]

1 minute ago, Planner1 said:

It matters to some.

 

Some people have an aversion to public transport being provided by private companies for profit. (1)

 

Lots of people look at how things are run in London and think it’s better. I’m not sure that they see how much TfL are losing and appreciate how it all actually works. (1a)

 

You don’t need to be patronising, I know very well where to find timetable and fare information. Others say they find it confusing that operators have their own ticketing and timetable setup and so do the MCA. A single source of info and fare system would be seen as beneficial. (2)

 

As has been discussed at length before, people around here ( and elsewhere) have a perception that a publicly owned / operated system would provide cheaper fares as there wouldn’t be the profit element. Some think that the service will be better / more frequent. I’m not so sure. (3)

 

Perhaps better to see how Manchester and others get on with it first before deciding, but politicians won’t want to be seen as lagging behind. (4)

(1) So they would rather pay through the nose for something they may never use? Strange.  (1a) Then maybe they should educate themselves before making rash statements.

 

(2) What is confusing - the vast majority of the information is on the TSY site, and, unless I'm more intelligent than others (unlikely), I can't see problems - what are they, specifically? I am not being any more 'patronising' than I sometimes feel you come across as.

 

(3) Where do these people think the money to operate these services comes from - thin air?

 

(4) Fair enough - but looking at TfL, unless these operations are much better managed, they ain't going to last. AND I note it comes down to politicians again - who aren't always the brightest of individuals.

[Organgrinder]

34 minutes ago, sheffbag said:

ok THEN (since you love capitals and boldening of words). What would YOU say made the transport system previously one of the finest in the country?

 

It's coverage was  brilliant and no one was too far from a stop.    It was extremely plentiful and no one had to wait long. 

It was extremely cheap ( though subsidised by ratepayers,  which I don't object to ).

Because it employed conductors as well as drivers,  there were no hold ups and it kept a lot in employment.

If I choose to use capitals, colours, boldening of words etc. that will be my choice and nothing to do with you. You can write any way you wish and I simply don't care. so it's not worth debating. 

[Organgrinder]

52 minutes ago, Resident said:

So let's set straight. You say improvements are needed but won't say what improvements need to be made in an ideal world, which is what is being asked of you.
 

It seems that you don't think improvements are needed so you are obviously out of kilter with the many citizens of Sheffield who complain.

Ask what you wish and I will answer what I wish.

When my first large lump of Mayor's salary goes into my bank then I will make a start on his job. 

Until then,  you look like being saddled with a crap transport system. 

[Organgrinder]

3 minutes ago, Resident said:

As usual the monkey is sat at the keyboard then..

 

And that has  WHAT,  to do with the Clean air zone ?

Is SheffieldForum serious about debating the subject rather than the poster ?   And is post # 98 complying with his own rules ?

[hackey lad]

2 minutes ago, Organgrinder said:

It seems that you don't think improvements are needed so you are obviously out of kilter with the many citizens of Sheffield who complain.

Ask what you wish and I will answer what I wish.

When my first large lump of Mayor's salary goes into my bank then I will make a start on his job. 

Until then,  you look like being saddled with a crap transport system. 

People are only asking you for your thoughts on what you think would make things better . They’re not asking you to come out with a full transport plan .

[Resident]

1 minute ago, Organgrinder said:

It seems that you don't think improvements are needed so you are obviously out of kilter with the many citizens of Sheffield who complain.

Ask what you wish and I will answer what I wish.

When my first large lump of Mayor's salary goes into my bank then I will make a start on his job. 

Until then,  you look like being saddled with a crap transport system. 

Show me where I've said improvements don't need to be made? 

Once again another posterier originated response from you. 

[SheffieldForum]

16 minutes ago, Organgrinder said:

Is SheffieldForum serious about debating the subject rather than the poster ?   And is post # 98 complying with his own rules ?

It was simply a joke.

 

I will defend your right to answer the questions, or not, however you wish.

 

Personally though, I would be keen to hear your headline thoughts on the subjects posed. It would open up the debate hugely. But if you're not happy to, then fair enough! 👍

[SheffieldForum]

A note from Greg Fell, Director of Public Health at Sheffield City Council:

 

 

Today marks exactly one year on from when we first launched our Clean Air Zone (CAZ) in Sheffield.  

 

Whilst the introduction of the CAZ has required some adjustment for many of us, the evidence is clear, when it comes to air pollution, there is no safe limit and, with 1 in 20 deaths in Sheffield attributable to air pollution, we must all act to protect the health of ourselves, our loved ones, and the environment around us.  

 

A year on living with the CAZ and we are seeing the kind of positive results we were hoping for. The number of polluting vehicles within the CAZ boundary has seen a huge drop compared to the year before, two thirds of a reduction, or 64 per cent to be precise. Data also shows that the polluting traffic around the boundary has also dropped by 18 per cent – suggesting that more and more people are making the switch to cleaner vehicles(1).  

 

So, what does this mean for the health of local people who live, work and study in those poor air quality hotspots?  

 

Air quality impacts our health and can lead to life changing diseases. This assault on the health begins in the womb from the first few weeks of pregnancy and impacts the development of an unborn child(2).  

 

Long term improvements to air quality and a sustained reduction in exposure to harmful pollutants will reduce life threatening diseases - such as lung cancer, stroke, and asthma(3) - reduce pressure on health services and improve the health and livelihoods of future generations.

 

 

We often get asked, where is the latest data proving that poor air quality causes deaths in Sheffield? The simple answer is, getting the data on how many people die as a result of breathing in poor air quality isn’t simple, I co-wrote an article last year explaining how we quantify the impacts of poor air quality and who is most likely to suffer as a result(4).

The published medical evidence on the impact pollutants have on our health is compelling and continues to mount. This was most helpfully summarised by the World Health Organisation in 2021(5), and in the England Chief Medical Officer 2022 report(6). 

 

The way we think about the impact of air quality needs to be considered. Just because we can’t see it or attribute it directly to cause of death or illness, it doesn’t mean that it’s not a very real threat. 

 

Take smoking for example. It wasn’t until the 1950’s that research was published proving that smoking cigarettes led to serious life-threatening illnesses and death(7). Prior to this, due to a mix of glamorising advertising campaigns and a lack of tangible research to suggest otherwise, the notion was disputed, with many actually believing that smoking was good for you!  

 

Today, with the appropriate awareness campaigns and government support, we as a society are well aware of the impacts of smoking on the health, as well as the equally negative impacts of passive smoking(, hence why we are seeing a year-on-year decline in the number of smokers across the UK. We no longer see smoking in public buildings or in cars with children, and new laws are continually introduced to reduce accessibility and desirability of cigarettes.  

 

There are many who have estimated that the levels of air pollution in many cities is equivalent to smoking cigarettes(9). But even now, you will not see ‘smoking’ listed as a cause of death or illness. The same can be said for poor air quality.  

 

Just like the change in behaviour and awareness we are seeing towards smoking, Clean Air Zones across the UK and London’s ULEZ encourage us all to rethink the wider health implications of the way we travel and, with road transport responsible for 80 per cent of roadside NO2 pollution alone(10), we all have a responsibility to change.  

 

Let’s consider Amsterdam in the Netherlands, it wasn't always one of the most walking and bicycle friendly cities in the world. But, after decades of hard work, in the late 1970’s real change for cycling policies and pedestrian and bike friendly streets started to be introduced(11). 

 

When we look at the impact switching to cleaner and more active modes of travel has made in the Netherlands, the results speak for themselves. Cleaner and active modes of travel mean better air quality and improved health and wellbeing for the population(12). 

 

Closer to home, we are seeing real impact that the switch to walking and cycling can make. In London, cycling infrastructure, coupled with the ULEZ, is driving down air pollution and is allowing more and more Londoners to take up cycling. Latest figures show that weekday bike trips in London are up 20 to 25 per cent, when March 2020 is compared with October 2022, while there has been a 90 per cent increase in cycling at the weekend(13). 

 

In the city centre, we're working on transport schemes which will improve our infrastructure for walking, wheeling and cycling. With wider footways, new connected cycle routes and improved facilities for bus users, enabling more people to make car-free journeys(14).   

 

By providing more choice in how you travel, we hope to reduce people’s reliance on the car for shorter trips. This, in turn will reduce congestion, make public transport more reliable, and free up space on the road for people who need to travel by car. 

 

One great change we can all make to improve our own health and the health of others around us is to take more active travel journeys.  

 

Why not give it a try as we move into the warmer months? Switching even a single journey or part of a journey every week is a great start and will help improve cardiovascular health and overall fitness.  

Locally we also have some great cycling schemes to support people on their cycling journey, and through the Better Points app, you can even collect points by logging walking, cycling and public transport journeys, which can later be redeemed for high street awards or can be donated to charity(15).

 

So what next?

 

As the Clean Air Zone moves into its second year, its first full year, the data we receive on the how it is performing will be clearer and more indicative of its impact. In coming weeks, we expect to receive our one-year air quality data, which, owing to the recent data on vehicle trends, should hold promising results.

 

Other cities that launched their Clean Air Zones ahead of us are reporting the positive results of their CAZ’s, with research published in the Lancet last year demonstrating that CAZs and similar schemes successfully reduced pollution.

 

The London ULEZ is the best evaluated in the UK, with recent reporting demonstrating the incredible impact of the ULEZ in cleaning up the air(16). The health benefits will follow from this. These will be difficult to measure and count (counting what doesn't happen is difficult, especially when all the other factors that lead to heart and lung disease are also in the mix), but the case continues to be overwhelming.

 

The CAZ was not installed to be a permanent measure. But through it we hope to see permanent changes, for the better, for all who breathe Sheffield’s air, now and into the future.

 

To learn more about the Clean Air Zone in Sheffield, or to view the CAZ boundary please visit the website: https://www.sheffield.gov.uk/cleanair 

 

References: 

 

1: Sheff News: https://sheffnews.com/news/new-data-shows-a-drop-in-polluting-vehicles-driving-in-sheffield 

 

1: Sheffield city Council Transport and Regeneration Committee Report: https://democracy.sheffield.gov.uk/documents/b28406/Item%2012%20Clean%20Air%20Zone%20-%206%20month%20review%20Monday%2011-Dec-2023%2014.00%20Transport%20Regeneration%20and%20Clima.pdf?T=9 

 

2: Royal College of Physicians & Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health. Every breath we take: 2016: https://www.rcplondon.ac.uk/projects/outputs/every-breath-we-take-lifelong-impact-air-pollution 

 

3: The Lancet - Health effects of low emission and congestion charging zones: a systematic review: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanpub/article/PIIS2468-2667(23)00120-2/fulltext?dgcid=raven_jbs_etoc_email 

 

4: Sheff News: https://sheffnews.com/news/public-health-leads-warn-no-air-pollution-limit-is-a-safe-limit 

 

5: World Health Organisation in 2021: https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/ambient-(outdoor)-air-quality-and-health 

 

6: England Chief Medical Officer 2022 report: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/chief-medical-officers-annual-report-2022-air-pollution# 

 

7: The American Cancer Society: The Study That Helped Spur the U.S. Stop-Smoking Movement | American Cancer Society: https://www.cancer.org/research/acs-research-news/the-study-that-helped-spur-the-us-stop-smoking-movement.html 

 

7: The National Institue of Health - The Association Between Smoking Habits and Death Rates: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1551824/ 

 

8: Cancer Research UK – What is passive smoking?: https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/causes-of-cancer/smoking-and-cancer/what-is-passive-smoking 

 

9: The Independent: Air pollution in cities ‘as bad for you as smoking 20 cigarettes a day’, says study - https://www.independent.co.uk/news/health/air-pollution-smoking-cigarettes-city-research-health-asthma-copd-a9056566.html 

 

9: HouseFresh: Secondhand smoke world map: https://housefresh.com/secondhand-smoke-world-map/ 

 

9: The Metro: London air pollution as bad as ‘smoking 154 cigarettes every year’: https://metro.co.uk/2023/02/27/london-air-pollution-as-bad-as-smoking-154-cigarettes-every-year-18353307/#:~:text=Latest%20London%20news&text=5%20particles%20to%20cigarettes%20smoked,level%20of%2022%20%C2%B5g%2Fm3. 

 

10: DEFRA /DfT: UK plan for tackling roadside nitrogen dioxide concentrations: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/5a81d37540f0b623026995e7/air-quality-plan-detail.pdf 

 

11: City Changers: It Was No Easy Ride: Amsterdam’s Journey to Becoming a Cycling Icon https://citychangers.org/it-was-no-easy-ride/#:~:text=The%20city's%20cycling%20story%20kicks,t%20a%20poor%20man's%20vehicle.%E2%80%9D 

 

11: The Guardian: How Amsterdam became the bicycle capital of the world: https://www.theguardian.com/cities/2015/may/05/amsterdam-bicycle-capital-world-transport-cycling-kindermoord 

 

12: Nature Communications: Earth and Environment: Historical patterns and sustainability implications of worldwide bicycle ownership and use: https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-022-00497-4 

 

13: TFL: New TfL data shows continued boom in walking and cycling: https://tfl.gov.uk/info-for/media/press-releases/2022/november/new-tfl-data-shows-continued-boom-in-walking-and-cycling-with-almost-twice-as-many-now-living-near-a-high-quality-cycle-route 

 

14: Connecting Sheffield: https://connectingsheffield.commonplace.is/en-GB/proposals/city-centre-proposals/start 

 

15: Better Points: https://sheffield.betterpoints.uk/ / Sheffield City Council cycling safety courses: https://www.sheffield.gov.uk/travel-transport/help-with-cycling 

 

16: The Guardian: London ULEZ averts more air pollution than that caused by capital’s airports, report shows: https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/dec/28/london-ulez-averts-more-air-pollution-than-that-caused-by-capitals-airports-report-shows 

 

16: Air Quality Consultants: Emissions savings from the ULEZ: https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/airdrive-images/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/20240108111847/GLA-09_Emissions-in-2023-J10-14497A-10-9-F4.pdf  

 

16: Air Quality Consultants: Emissions savings from the ULEZ:  

https://s3-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/airdrive-images/wp-content/uploads/sites/6/20240108111723/GLA-07_Emissions-and-Concentrations-J10-14497A-10-7-F5.pdf