Outside of London, the West Midlands conurbation suffers the most extensive exceedances of the EU annual Limit Value for Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) in the UK, affecting a population of 122,396. Based on national estimates, vehicle emissions account for up to 630 premature deaths in the West Midlands each year and local authority research demonstrates that emissions from road transport are the principal source of elevated concentrations of NO2 and airborne particles such as PM10.
Lying proximate to the West Midlands conurbation, and, after Birmingham, the second largest city in the West Midlands region, Coventry is going to be the cultural hub of the UK in 2021 as it becomes the UK City of Culture, and then in 2022 hosts events at the Commonwealth Games. At the same time, the city is facing significant transport challenges, and is looking to a wide range of transport technological advances to overcome these, such as the innovative Very Light Rail system and making the city ready for the widespread uptake of electric vehicles. The Council is also under Government Direction to improve air quality in the city and the action plan to achieve this is currently in development for implementation over the next few years. Around 80,000 people live in the central part of the city most affected by high NO2 levels, and 30,000 people work there, so any action plan needs to take account of the social and economic impacts on residents and businesses.
At EMISSIONS & AIR QUALITY Smart Class 2H 2019, Coventry City Council’s Air Quality Programme Manager, Linda Sullivan, outlined in her keynote presentation the transport and air quality challenges facing the city, the work being done to identify the most appropriate solutions, and the ways in which new technology can be harnessed to deliver a safe and sustainable transport system within the city.
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