Government Proposal on tackling diesel pollution

[greenknight]

Well I need some help with this!

There was a great deal of fuss over this with the government trying so hard not to publish before the election!

Hopefully looking for something juicy from within.....Well it's absolutely empty...a ring binder folder with signs that someone has withdrawn many of the pages from within. Now I'm no Megilleland so no copy and paste of report here however I'm not sure it's worth it.

 

The government fancies passing on the responsibility to local councils ...Well hahaha to that and as for suggesting that a scheme be set up to trade in old vans for cash ..you are having a laugh. Herefordshire is the land where old white vans come to die which is why the town centre is one of the most polluted. There is no money to give out so if this council wasn't broke it soon would be. What a cracking idea from the team negotiating our Brexit!

[megilleland]

Improving air quality: national plan for tackling nitrogen dioxide in our towns and cities

The UK Government, the Scottish Government, the Welsh Government and the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs in Northern Ireland are seeking views on a revised Plan to reduce levels of nitrogen dioxide around roads within the shortest possible time - the most immediate air quality challenge.

This consultation applies to England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

It includes the consultation document; the draft UK Air Quality Plan for tackling nitrogen dioxide; and the Technical Report, which includes details of the modelling techniques and assumptions used in the draft Plan.

Before responding to the questions set out in the consultation, we recommend that you read at least the consultation document setting out our proposals.

[greenknight]

Thanks for sourcing and placing the link M.

[twowheelsgood]

This Council's blind reliance on traffic lights contributes hugely to the poor air quality within the City - everywhere, stationery vehicles, engines running waiting for the green light that never seems to come. Hugely frustrating and unhealthy for all and entirely unnecessary. We've said it a million times, but the powers that be aren't interested (and we have to wonder why) - the essential lights need intelligent management (which we're paying Worcester for anyway, it just doesn't work), and many just need ripping out. Instead we're having to pay for the installation of dozens more on the inner link road. 

[Ubique]

This Council's blind reliance on traffic lights contributes hugely to the poor air quality within the City - everywhere, stationery vehicles, engines running waiting for the green light that never seems to come. Hugely frustrating and unhealthy for all and entirely unnecessary. We've said it a million times, but the powers that be aren't interested (and we have to wonder why) - the essential lights need intelligent management (which we're paying Worcester for anyway, it just doesn't work), and many just need ripping out. Instead we're having to pay for the installation of dozens more on the inner link road.

 

If my old mind serves me correctly Twowheelgood , you advised us many moons ago that where the super dooper new road between Edgar St and Commercial l Rd comes out onto Edgar St there will not be any traffic lights , so all traffic travelling along the new road towards Edgar St has to turn left and travel upto the Bewell St Island even if it wished to travel north on the A49 . So it would appear hat the Council have listened to somebody ! ( Thimk I am correct in my ramblings ! )

[twowheelsgood]

Partly correct - yes, you can only turn left onto Edgar Street, but no, there will be traffic lights there as well! Six sets of lights in less than 800m! That was on the 2010 Masterplan - they've probably added some more since then.

[Aylestone Voice]

If the no right turn at Edgar Street remains, if you want to go to Holmer Road you can turn right at Widemarsh Street - of course at another set of TWG's hated traffic lights. That said I hear there will continue to be a right turn into Barrs Court Road from Aylestone Hill so you could avoid the new road completely

The one thing that has surprised me is that there will be no right turn into Gibbs & Dandy's timber yard from Widemarsh Street

[ragwert]

If the no right turn at Edgar Street remains, if you want to go to Holmer Road you can turn right at Widemarsh Street - of course at another set of TWG's hated traffic lights. That said I hear there will continue to be a right turn into Barrs Court Road from Aylestone Hill so you could avoid the new road completely

The one thing that has surprised me is that there will be no right turn into Gibbs & Dandy's timber yard from Widemarsh Street

This no right turn could be a problem when the new fire & police station are built as the fire brigade will at some point need to turn right into Edgar St.

 

Was passing by this morning ans saw they were installing the cables and ducting for traffic lights 

[Maggie May]

Can someone please explain why Herefordshire Council are allowed to put so many traffic lights along Edgar Street? I am not against it for local people looking to cross a busy road but why didn't the link road come out at the Newtown road junction roundabout? These extra traffic lights are slowing the traffic on the A49 and as the lights system is so old and out of date, the phasing doesn't help traffic flow through the City. 

I thought Highways England were concerned about traffic and congestion in Hereford so why have they approved all these traffic lights? 

[herefordman75]

Whilst I agree that diesel does produce a large proportion of particulate matter (which is what the main target is all about) - the media/government appear to forget to mention that there is also a large amount of particulate pollution produced by industry, old oil/gas fired central heating systems, coal fires (still quite a few in use) and of course rubber from the friction generated by tyres on the road surface - this outweighs the amounts generated by exhaust fumes from traffic. Of course you can't penalise industry, home owners etc for these things, so the motorist is the easy target.

[twowheelsgood]

There was some discussion about this last week on Jeremy Vine, who seemed remarkably ignorant about diesel engines, and one of the guests made that the point that on a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the worst diesel polluter, diesel cars are a 1, whilst buses are a 9. Rather sweeping and generic I know, but he had a point. Whilst modern diesel cars have particulate filters fitted (which most owners either don't know about or understand how to use) I'm not sure that cruder bus and lorry engines do, or even white vans come to that. There is so much that could be done - hitting the car owner before the worse offenders seems unfair, or at least it does until some car belches a huge black cloud into my face, which happens on a daily basis. 

[herefordman75]

All diesel engine vehicles built to Euro 5 standards have a particulate filter fitted, it's part of the requirements - in fact the bus/lorry manufacturers have had better exhaust treatment technology longer than cars. The black smoke you get from them is usually down to incomplete combustion of the diesel - essentially too much fuel, not enough air. Particulate filters won't stop that, as they are designed to stop the ash that is the by product of combustion, the black smoke won't be stopped by a particulate filter.

Jeremy Vine is quite ignorant about most things anyway (in my opinion) and tends to follow the sensationalist Sunday Papers for his research. Better off doing your own research and drawing your own conclusions.