Urban air quality comparison on bike and driving routes: a case study for UK

Abstract Air quality in cities is very important in both tackling climate change and promoting healthy sustainable urban living. Understanding the air quality around cities has been a challenge faced by local authorities around the world. With the new net zero targets in place, government and charitable organisations across the UK have been trying hard to both monitor and control air pollutants to influence citizen behavior towards environmentally friendly living. This study looks at urban air quality in two UK cities with the idea of understanding air quality and its relation to the mode of transport, health and well-being. This case study compares the urban air quality as Particulate Matter ( PM 10 and PM 2.5 ) and gaseous pollutants ( NO 2 ) on the bike and motor driving routes in Cambridge and Colchester. The study designed experiments and data collection campaigns to understand the factors leading to air quality fluctuations in urban traffic routes. The resulting measurements show that NO 2 concentrations are higher in motor driving routes and in certain locations on the bike routes that are part of (or very close to) the motor route. The PM concentrations are generally higher near parks and open greenspaces but can be argued to be within the recommended limits. Finally, this paper proposes steps to improve the urban infrastructure to tackle emissions and spread awareness among the citizens.