45 air quality sensors will be installed in Richmond

Air quality sensors will be fitted in priority locations across the London Borough of Richmond. 

The 45 Breathe London sensors will be situated in the town centre, at school streets and at proposed new traffic scheme areas. 

For example, sensors are being installed around the Royal Parks, near East Sheen Primary School and St Richard Reynolds College.

The move is in line with the Council’s policy to encourage a shift away from petrol and diesel cars to walking, cycling and public transport.

As part of the InnOvaTe Project, some of the sensors are paired with Vivacity traffic monitors. This means the air quality data can be measured in real time alongside information on the amount of traffic.

5 

The hope is that by measuring air quality data, it will allow a deeper understanding of different transport modes, movement patterns and their impact on air quality. 

The data collected through Breathe London sensors is backed by a dedicated team of researchers at Imperial College London.

Breathe London is funded by the Mayor of London and aims to raise awareness of toxic air pollution across London, helping Councils to take action to improve local air quality.

Cllr Alexander Ehmann, Chair of Richmond Council’s Transport and Air Quality Committee, said: ‘We simply have to tackle air pollution, and the installation of both sensors will provide a granular picture of the links between transport, air quality and exposure as pollution levels change locally.

‘The data will help shape our future policies and will also allow residents to monitor pollution levels in their local area.’

Five south London councils, including Kingston, Croydon, Merton and Sutton, are also participating in the InnOvaTe Project.

The project is working with the University of Essex to understand how such sensors might be adapted and used in the future to, for example, help in fly tipping prevention, flood monitoring and the safeguarding of vulnerable residents living in supported housing.