The Environmental Research Group (ERG) has taken delivery of London's newest air quality monitoring site. The site is funded by Transport for London (TfL) and is located on the north approach to the Blackwall Tunnel. It is designed look for changes in transport emissions as a consequence of changes in London's vehicle fleet arising from the proposed Low Emission Zone.

Equipment was installed in the cabin by the manufacturer and the complete installation was delivered on the back of a lorry. ERG's Jon Alexander, who managed the installation, confessed to having had a stressful moment as over £90,000 worth of cabin and monitoring equipment was hoisted into the air, "With the site location surrounded by railings, signs and other obstacles, I wasn't sure it would go in easily. As it turned out my concerns were misplaced; the crane operator whisked the cabin high into the air and lowered it very precisely into position. The whole thing took no more than a few minutes."

The site is currently being commissioned. Hourly updated measurements from the site should be available from www.londonair.org.uk during August.In addition to measuring the statutory pollutants the monitoring site will make measurements that are especially sensitive to changes in vehicle emissions.

These include counts of airborne particles and automated measurements of black smoke. In response to recent research findings the site will take measurements to allow the quantification of primary emissions of NO2. New automated techniques will also be used to measure the mass concentration of PM10 and PM2.5 particulate.

The new monitoring site is part of a wider TfL funded programme which includes new equipment at existing monitoring sites alongside the North Circular, the Woolwich Flyover and other parts of London's trunk road network. KCL is also leading US Health Effects Institute funded projects to study the changes in the toxicity of airborne particles and health effects that may arise from the Low Emissions Zone.

Item date 30/07/2006