Diesel trains and local air pollution
News from the LAQN

It is well known that diesel traffic can lead to pollution problems around busy roads however far less is known about the impact of diesel trains on local air quality.

Scientists from King’s College London have just completed a two and a half year investigation of air pollution from diesel trains. Measurements were undertaken alongside busy railway lines in Ealing and Islington to investigate modelled predictions that showed exhaust from trains caused air quality problems in nearby residential areas.

In contrast to the modelled predictions, real-world measurements found that a clear pollution signal from the diesel trains was difficult to detect. Given that diesel trains emit similar types of pollutants to diesel road traffic, it is possible that London’s road traffic masked a clear signal from the trains; however, it is clear that diesel trains did not make a large contribution to local air pollution problems. A new assessment was undertaken and showed a much reduced air pollution burden from diesel trains. This finding has clear implications for local air quality management priorities in Ealing and Islington and other local authorities with diesel train lines. Air pollution at stations was not included in the study.

The findings of the project highlight the need to verify estimates of pollution emissions against real-world measurements.

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Item date 01/08/2014

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