New sensor network begins roll out in West Midlands

In advance of International Clean Air Day which took place on Saturday, Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands and WMCA chair, visited Dudley to see one of a new network of sensors being installed near to Pegasus Academy.

90 sensors are currently being installed to boost air quality monitoring outside homes, schools, hospitals and sports centres. Near-live data from the sensors will be made available online later this year.

The Mayor said: ‘On my first day as Mayor, I met a group of schoolchildren who made a powerful case for more action to tackle air pollution to improve their health and protect their futures.

‘These new sensors are just the latest tool in our fight against pollution and will give our communities real-world information about the quality of the air they are breathing. That information will also tell them the main sources of pollution in their area and what they can do to improve air quality.’

The WMCA has received £1.5 million of funding which will also be used to promote behaviour change and raise awareness about the health impacts of pollution.

Kevin Tranter, chief operating officer at Dudley Academies Trust, which includes Pegasus Academy, said: ‘Our school is based on a main road so it’s really important our learners, their parents and our staff are aware of air quality. Our learners have rightly identified air quality as among the sustainability and environmental issues that are really important to them.

‘As part of our sustainability strategy, we have eco councils in all of the schools across our Trust to help identify the issues and develop initiatives that respond to them. We’ve recently removed single use plastics from our catering and are absolutely supportive of other measures like these new air sensors so our school can continue to contribute solutions to addressing sustainability.’

Maddy Dawe, regional air quality lead at Asthma + Lung UK, said: ‘It’s fantastic to see the first air quality sensor of the new network installed outside Pegasus Academy, a school located next to two main roads, so that air quality can be monitored in real time. Gathering data is crucial to improve our understanding of air pollution hotspots, so that urgent measures to tackle toxic air can be put in place.

‘Children are most vulnerable to the impacts of toxic air as it stunts the growth of their lungs, which can damage their health for the rest of their lives.

‘Asthma + Lung UK has been calling on the Mayor of West Midlands to prioritise improving air quality across the region, so we welcome this latest development. We hope the data from the sensors will be used to introduce targeted interventions to protect children’s lung health and the most vulnerable communities, providing them with cleaner air and a healthier future.’

The sensors being used are Zephyr air quality monitors supplied, installed and monitored by Earthsense.

Pictured: (l to r)  Tim Dexter, Clean Air Lead at Asthma and Lung UK, Owen Gardener, head of operations at EarthSense, Richard Parker, Mayor of the West Midlands and WMCA chair, Kevin Tranter, chief operating officer at Dudley Academies Trust, and Maddy Dawe, campaign manager at Asthma and Lung UK.