Determining the Effectiveness of Interventions for the Reduction of Child Exposure to Traffic-Related Air Pollution at Schools in England

Traffic-related air pollution (TRAP) is a significant risk to human health and is particularly damaging to children as a vulnerable group. TRAP exposure near schools and on the school commute is linked to a growing number of adverse health effects, including respiratory and cardiovascular disease and can lead to (and exacerbate existing) respiratory conditions. The current study aimed to assess the effectiveness of interventions for the reduction of potential child exposure to TRAP at the school gates and on the school commute. This study employed dispersion modelling to assess the effects of interventions for reducing TRAP concentrations in the vicinity of five schools in England. The results revealed that all interventions led to reductions in nitrogen dioxide (NO2) concentrations. Improved travel routes were the most effective intervention for reducing concentrations along travel routes, while the introduction of low-emission zones (LEZs) proved most effective in reducing NO2 concentrations at schools, with greater effectiveness observed at shorter distances. Active travel also demonstrated effectiveness, particularly in areas with heavy traffic. When considering all receptors, LEZ implementation, active travel, and rideshare interventions exhibited effectiveness, with greater distance providing greater reductions in NO2 concentrations. Anti-idling was found to be more effective in sparsely populated areas. Combined with improved travel routes, anti-idling showed the greatest percentage difference in concentrations, followed by active travel, and rideshare.