Reducing Car Pollution: Strategies For Cleaner City Air

Cars are a significant source of air pollution, contributing to climate change and causing harmful effects on human health. While vehicles provide opportunities for recreation and access to amenities, they also produce a large portion of the world's pollution. To reduce car pollution in cities, a combination of strategies is necessary, including promoting public transportation, encouraging active travel, implementing low-emission zones, transitioning to electric vehicles, and improving vehicle maintenance. Additionally, urban planning and traffic management play a crucial role in reducing congestion and idling, which are major factors contributing to air pollution.

Promote public transportation

Promoting public transportation is a key strategy to reduce car pollution in cities. Here are some ways to achieve this:

Improve Public Transportation Infrastructure

Develop the infrastructure of public transportation systems to make them a more attractive option for commuters. This can be done by investing in Transit Signal Priority (TSP) to reduce idling and keep routes on schedule, and by providing agencies with near real-time location feeds to streamline routes for improved efficiency.

Increase Capacity on High-Traffic Routes

Adding more buses or trains on routes with high demand can reduce overcrowding and shorten waiting times, making public transportation a more convenient and appealing option.

Improve Commuter Safety

Safety is a key factor in commuters' choice of transportation. Increasing the frequency of trains and buses can improve safety, as can the presence of security officers.

Create Multi-Modal Hubs

Transportation departments can create multi-modal hubs where commuters can easily transfer between different modes of transportation, such as buses, trains, bicycles, and scooters. This can be achieved by employing Mobility-On-Demand (MOD) and Mobility-as-a-Service (MaaS) models, which treat transportation as a product, allowing commuters to choose the quickest and most cost-effective route.

Electrify Transportation

Using electricity to power buses and trains can reduce noise and air pollution, helping to meet environmental goals.

Offer Incentives

Incentives such as free or discounted public transportation passes, employer-provided subsidies, reimbursements, or pre-tax payroll reductions can encourage people to use public transportation, particularly among college students.

Integrate with Active Transportation Modes

Integrating public transportation with active transportation modes such as walking and cycling can further reduce pollution. This can be achieved by ensuring that public transportation stations are well-connected with bicycle-sharing stations and pedestrian-friendly infrastructure.

By implementing these strategies, cities can make public transportation a more appealing, efficient, and environmentally friendly option, reducing the number of cars on the road and decreasing car pollution.

Encourage walking and cycling

Encouraging walking and cycling is a highly effective way to reduce car pollution in cities. This approach, known as "active transport", can significantly reduce carbon emissions and help tackle climate change. Research has shown that swapping car journeys for walking or cycling, even for just one day a week, can make a notable difference.

To promote walking and cycling, cities should invest in infrastructure that enables and encourages these modes of transport. This includes developing pedestrianised and cycle-only areas, as well as safe walking and cycling routes that connect with other forms of public transport. For example, the Netherlands has implemented extensive cycle infrastructure, providing a model for other countries to follow.

In addition to reducing emissions, walking and cycling offer numerous health benefits. Research suggests that walking for 30 minutes or cycling for 20 minutes on most days can reduce the risk of mortality by at least 10%, decrease the risk of cardiovascular disease by about 10%, and lower the risk of type 2 diabetes by 30%. Active commuting has also been linked to a 30% reduction in cancer-related mortality.

By addressing safety concerns and improving infrastructure, cities can promote walking and cycling as attractive, convenient, and healthy alternatives to driving. This will help reduce car pollution and create a more sustainable and environmentally friendly urban environment.

Implement low-emissions zones

Implementing low-emissions zones (LEZs) is a strategy that has proven effective in reducing car pollution in cities. A low-emission zone is a designated area where access by polluting vehicles is restricted to improve air quality. This strategy prioritises certain vehicles, such as bicycles, micromobility vehicles, alternative fuel vehicles, hybrid electric vehicles, plug-in hybrids, and zero-emission vehicles.

• Gradual Implementation: It is essential to introduce low-emission zones gradually to give people time to adapt. Instead of abruptly enforcing a zero-emission zone, start with a low-emission zone and communicate a clear timeline for transitioning to stricter standards. This approach will help reduce pushback and allow residents, especially those with financial constraints, to make the necessary adjustments.
• Incentives and Penalties: Enforce low-emission zones by imposing fines or charges on non-compliant vehicles that enter the designated area. At the same time, offer incentives to encourage the use of cleaner vehicles. For example, provide subsidies, tax credits, or dedicated parking spaces for zero-emission vehicles.
• Vehicle Standards: Set clear emission standards that vehicles must meet to enter the low-emission zone. These standards may include specific requirements for heavy-duty trucks, diesel vans, diesel cars, petrol cars, motorcycles, and three-wheelers. Ensure that the standards are achievable and gradually increase their stringency over time.
• Signage and Enforcement: Install clear signage indicating the boundaries of the low-emission zone. For enforcement, consider using automated systems, such as cameras with automatic number-plate recognition technology, to monitor and identify non-compliant vehicles. Alternatively, as seen in Paris, enforce the zone through visual inspection by authorised officials.
• Public Transportation Improvements: Invest in improving public transportation options within the low-emission zone. This can include increasing the frequency of bus or train services, introducing cleaner fuel or electric buses, and providing incentives for commuters to use public transportation.
• Equity and Accessibility: Ensure that the implementation of low-emission zones does not disproportionately impact low-income communities or communities of colour. Provide incentives and subsidies to support the transition to cleaner vehicles for those who may struggle financially. Address enforcement practices that have historically targeted marginalised communities.
• Communication and Engagement: Maintain open and transparent communication with stakeholders and the public throughout the process. Seek input from residents, businesses, and community organisations to understand their concerns and incorporate their feedback. This collaborative approach will help build support for the low-emission zone and address potential issues.
• Monitoring and Evaluation: Establish air quality monitoring systems to measure the effectiveness of the low-emission zone in reducing pollution levels. Collect data on emission reductions, changes in traffic flow, and improvements in public health outcomes. Use this data to refine and optimise the zone's design and enforcement.

Shift towards electric vehicles

Electric vehicles (EVs) are an important part of the solution to reducing car pollution in cities. They feature prominently in mitigation pathways that aim to limit global warming to well below 2°C or 1.5°C, in line with the Paris Agreement's targets.

Benefits of Electric Vehicles

EVs have several advantages over conventional gasoline vehicles. Firstly, they typically have a smaller carbon footprint, even when accounting for the electricity used for charging. This is because EVs are far more energy-efficient, using approximately 87-91% of the energy from the battery and regenerative braking for propulsion. In contrast, gasoline vehicles only convert about 16-25% of the energy from gasoline into movement.

Another benefit of EVs is that they produce no tailpipe emissions, which are a significant source of harmful pollutants such as carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides, and particulate matter. However, it is important to note that generating the electricity used to charge EVs may create carbon pollution, depending on the energy sources used, such as coal or natural gas.

Strategies to Encourage EV Adoption

To reduce car pollution in cities, municipalities can implement strategies to encourage the adoption of electric vehicles by citizens. This includes developing convenient charging infrastructure and offering financial incentives such as tax credits for EVs.

Comparison with Conventional Vehicles

Comparisons between electric vehicles and conventional vehicles are complex and depend on various factors, such as vehicle size, fuel-economy estimates, driving patterns, and weather conditions. However, in most countries, the majority of emissions over the lifetime of both types of vehicles come from vehicle operation (tailpipe and fuel cycle) rather than vehicle manufacture.

Impact on Climate Change

EVs play a crucial role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving air quality. By electrifying all passenger vehicles with renewably generated, zero-carbon electricity by 2050, we can significantly reduce carbon pollution from the transportation sector, which contributes about 60% of total carbon emissions.

In summary, a shift towards electric vehicles is a crucial strategy to reduce car pollution in cities. By encouraging EV adoption, improving charging infrastructure, and transitioning to renewable energy sources, we can effectively reduce emissions and improve public health outcomes.

Invest in transit-oriented development

Transit-oriented development (TOD) is a type of urban planning that aims to reduce car pollution by clustering jobs, housing, and amenities around transport hubs, minimizing the need for long travel. This approach promotes a symbiotic relationship between compact urban development and public transport use, increasing public transport ridership and reducing private car usage.

TOD typically involves creating a central transit stop, such as a train station or bus stop, surrounded by a high-density mixed-use area. This design reduces travel distances and makes it easier for residents to access essential services and employment opportunities without relying on private vehicles.

One of the key benefits of TOD is its ability to support the "15-minute city" philosophy, where individuals can meet their daily needs within a 15-minute radius, reducing the time spent in cars and, consequently, the amount of car pollution. This approach also encourages walkability and promotes the use of zero-emission modes of transportation, such as walking and cycling.

To achieve TOD, urban planners and policymakers can consider the following strategies:

• Mixed-use development: Promote a mix of residential, commercial, and leisure spaces within walking distance of public transport. This can include high-density housing, offices, shops, restaurants, and entertainment venues.
• Pedestrian-friendly infrastructure: Design neighbourhoods with smaller block sizes and reduced land area dedicated to automobiles. Improve pedestrian facilities, such as high-quality crossings, narrow streets, and well-connected walkways.
• Transit villages: Focus development around transit stations, creating transit villages that become hubs for the surrounding community. This can involve building upwards, with taller mixed-use buildings close to transit hubs and gradually decreasing building heights as you move away from the centre.
• Reduced parking spaces: Decrease the number of parking spaces for personal vehicles. This discourages car usage and encourages the use of public transport or active transportation modes like walking and cycling.
• Integrated transport network: Ensure that the transit-oriented development is well-connected to other parts of the city, creating an integrated transport network. This can include investing in efficient bus or rail systems that provide reliable and timely service to residents.
• Incentives and regulations: Provide incentives for developers to build compact, transit-oriented communities. Additionally, consider implementing regulations that prioritize transit-oriented development over car-oriented urban sprawl.

By investing in transit-oriented development, cities can reduce car pollution, improve air quality, promote sustainable urban growth, and enhance the overall well-being of their residents.

Frequently asked questions