Question 20. How do you think we should achieve improvements in air quality?

The Local Plan should focus on the provision of new dwellings near existing employment opportunities which can be easily reached by public transport or on foot/bicycle. It should also focus on reducing traffic levels at problem areas and promotion of alternatives to the private car.

• We can achieve enormous improvements in air quality transitioning away from car dependency towards very high levels of cycling and walking. • Transport Assessments must demonstrate how developments will improve and maintain air quality. • Developments should be designed so that there is minimal car traffic near homes, schools, and places where people gather. In existing developments, traffic management should be introduced to remove and minimise car traffic. • Electric cars will still lead to significant pollution from tyres, road wear and brakes and will not resolve the issue of congestion or road danger. • Any electric car charging infrastructure that is provided in new and existing developments must not undermine walking and cycling accessibility.

The air in central cambridge is vile and repulsive on pavements near roads at many points in the day. Private cars should be banned from the city centre and driving routes should be designed as a one way system which deliberately makes driving inconvenient. We cannot continue to promote private car travel as an viable means to reach the city. This includes electric vehicles, which will still emit particulates from brakes. Bicycles are an obvious way to facilitate mobility while maintaining perfect air quality. Transport Assessments must demonstrate how developments will improve and maintain air quality. Developments should be designed so that there is minimal car traffic near homes, schools, and places where people gather. In existing developments, traffic management should be introduced to remove and minimise car traffic.

Incentive uptake on electric cars by offering free charging points throughout the greater Cambridgeshire. This has to be supported by renewable energy sources. Passing by should pay a low fee to use the network

• We can achieve enormous improvements in air quality transitioning away from car dependency towards very high levels of cycling and walking. • Transport Assessments must demonstrate how developments will improve and maintain air quality. • Developments should be designed so that there is minimal car traffic near homes, schools, and places where people gather. In existing developments, traffic management should be introduced to remove and minimise car traffic. • Electric cars will still lead to significant pollution from tyres, road wear and brakes and will not resolve the issue of congestion or road danger. • Any electric car charging infrastructure that is provided in new and existing developments must not undermine walking and cycling accessibility.

Paragraph 103 of the NPPF acknowledges the relationship between managing patterns of growth, reducing the need to travel and encouraging the use of sustainable modes of transport in order to reduce congestion and emissions and improve air quality. Paragraph 181 suggests that traffic and travel management and the provision and enhancement of green infrastructure may provide an opportunity to improve air quality. It is considered that the selection of suitable development sites in emerging GCLP will be an important factor in improving air quality. For example, development sites which are accessible by walking, cycling and public transport would enable travel by sustainable modes of transport leading to reductions in congestion and emissions. The promoted development at South West Cambridge provides an opportunity to locate development where travel by walking, cycling and public transport are realistic, and the site would connect with planned sustainable transport infrastructure improvements. An Air Quality Constraints Report (prepared by WSP) is submitted with these representations, which concludes that development at the site would be acceptable in terms of air quality, and a buffer with the M11 is included in the submitted Masterplan.

• Congestion charges Car free days supporting schools times of day when no cars allowed in cities cheap or free and integrated bus services We can achieve enormous improvements in air quality transitioning away from car dependency towards very high levels of cycling and walking. • Transport Assessments must demonstrate how developments will improve and maintain air quality. • Developments should be designed so that there is minimal car traffic near homes, schools, and places where people gather. In existing developments, traffic management should be introduced to remove and minimise car traffic. • Electric cars will still lead to significant pollution from tyres, road wear and brakes and will not resolve the issue of congestion or road danger. • Any electric car charging infrastructure that is provided in new and existing developments must not undermine walking and cycling accessibility.

• We can achieve enormous improvements in air quality transitioning away from car dependency towards very high levels of cycling and walking. • Transport Assessments must demonstrate how developments will improve and maintain air quality. • Developments should be designed so that there is minimal car traffic near homes, schools, and places where people gather. In existing developments, traffic management should be introduced to remove and minimise car traffic. • Electric cars will still lead to significant pollution from tyres, road wear and brakes and will not resolve the issue of congestion or road danger.   • Any electric car charging infrastructure that is provided in new and existing developments must not undermine walking and cycling accessibility.

• We can achieve enormous improvements in air quality transitioning away from car dependency towards very high levels of cycling and walking. • Transport Assessments must demonstrate how developments will improve and maintain air quality. • Clean Air Zones CAZ should be extended into housing areas • Developments should be designed so that there is minimal car traffic near homes, schools, and places where people gather. In existing developments, traffic management should be introduced to remove and minimise car traffic. • Electric cars will still lead to significant pollution from tyres, road wear and brakes and will not resolve the issue of congestion or road danger. The Tree Canopy should be doubled to counteract the particulate damage. • Any electric car charging infrastructure that is provided in new and existing developments must not undermine walking and cycling accessibility. Charging points for mobility scooters must be available. • HGVs and non-local transport vehicles should be prohibited in the CAZ housing areas.

We can achieve enormous improvements in air quality transitioning away from car dependency towards very high levels of cycling and walking. Transport Assessments must demonstrate how developments will improve and maintain air quality. Developments should be designed so that there is minimal car traffic near homes, schools, and places where people gather. In existing developments, traffic management should be introduced to remove and minimise car traffic.

We can achieve enormous improvements in air quality transitioning away from car dependency towards very high levels of cycling and walking. • Transport Assessments must demonstrate how developments will improve air quality. • Developments should be designed so that there is minimal car traffic near homes, schools, and places where people gather. In existing developments, traffic management should be introduced to remove and minimise car traffic. • Electric cars will still lead to significant pollution from tyres, road wear and brakes and will not resolve the issue of congestion or road danger. • Any electric car charging infrastructure that is provided in new and existing developments must not undermine walking and cycling accessibility. “Cars must be driven out of cities to tackle the UK’s air pollution crisis, not just replaced with electric vehicles, according to the UK government’s top adviser. Prof Frank Kelly said that while electric vehicles emit no exhaust fumes, they still produce large amounts of tiny pollution particles from brake and tyre dust, for which the government already accepts there is no safe limit.” (Carrington, 2017) Evidence for our response to Question 20. • Carrington, Damian (2017). Electric cars are not the answer to air pollution, says top UK adviser. The Guardian: Aug 4th, 2017. www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/aug/04/fewer-cars-not-electric-cars-beat-airpollution-says-top-uk-adviser-prof-frank-kelly

We can achieve enormous improvements in air quality transitioning away from car dependency towards very high levels of cycling and walking. Transport Assessments must demonstrate how developments will improve and maintain air quality. Developments should be designed so that there is minimal car traffic near homes, schools, and places where people gather. In existing developments, traffic management should be introduced to remove and minimise car traffic. Any electric car charging infrastructure that is provided in new and existing developments must not undermine walking and cycling accessibility.

There really needs to be a stronger public transport infrastructure so that people are not bound to using their cars on such a regular basis. Especially those who live close enough to Cambridge where public transport or cycling or walking would be possible. Electric busses and other vehicles such as taxis should be supported and funded. This is vital if air quality is not to become worse rather than better.

The easiest improvements can be made to air quality by encouraging a shift from private cars to cycling and public transport. Electric cars are still to far away and will still produce air pollution from brakes and tyre wear. Electric car charging infrastrucutre should be built within the roadway (removing car parking spots if necessary, and not be built on pavements or cycle routes

• We can achieve enormous improvements in air quality transitioning away from car dependency towards very high levels of cycling and walking. • Transport Assessments must demonstrate how developments will improve and maintain air quality. • Developments should be designed so that there is minimal car traffic near homes, schools, and places where people gather. In existing developments, traffic management should be introduced to remove and minimise car traffic. • Electric cars will still lead to significant pollution from tyres, road wear and brakes and will not resolve the issue of congestion or road danger. • Any electric car charging infrastructure that is provided in new and existing developments must not undermine walking and cycling accessibility.

Facilitate replacement of gas boilers with heat pumps by providing guidance on permissible changes. Promote tree planting in urban areas. Single occupancy electric vehicles help air quality but should not be seen as a panacea as they still generate particulates due to road and tyre wear. Prioritise sustainable modes of transport over use of the single occupancy car.

Cambridgeshire has very little heavy industry, so the bulk of air pollutants come from transport burning fossil fuels and agriculture emitting pollens. The best way to reduce both is to encourage local land use for sustainable electrical energy and vegetable and fruit production, not monoculture. If enough electricity is produced from sources such as solar farms and wind turbines, there'll be enough not only to charge electric cars but also to produce hydrogen from water to satisfy all transport needs.

• We can achieve enormous improvements in air quality transitioning away from car dependency towards very high levels of cycling and walking. • Transport Assessments must demonstrate how developments will improve and maintain air quality. • Stop making people dependent on cars! Developments should be designed so that there is minimal car traffic near homes, schools, and places where people gather. In existing developments, traffic management should be introduced to minimise car traffic. • Electric cars will still lead to significant pollution from tyres, road wear and brakes but are not the best solution. Any electric car charging infrastructure that is provided in new and existing developments must not undermine walking and cycling accessibility.

Close the city centres to motorised vehicles and replace with rickshaws operating in conjunction with buses. Convert Grand Arcade Car Park to microapartments for city workers. Reduce car capacity on surrounding roads by 50% while giving 50% over to safe, beautiful cycle ways. Electric buses and cars.

Make electric cheap and frequent public transport more appealing than use of private cars. Level of congestion charge dependent on the pollution level a motorised vehicle emits. Large business development must subsidise their employee's public transport.

The Trumpington Residents’ Association supports the ideas on page 45 and the need to reduce car use and congestion, which is a serious issue on local roads as well as those in the City centre. We are very concerned at the need for much better public transport. With the local research community, there should be opportunities to make greater use of smart technology, such as in planning new developments and infrastructure and monitoring traffic patterns, air quality, etc. See also our response to question 15.

Continue to reduce car use - but extend this to outside the inner centre of cambridge, hepl others make the switch - esp by reducing fares of a single bus trip. Does anyone know the contribution made to AQ issues by the coal burning on the boats, even locally? I am struck by the dense and bitter smog somethings in the evenings. Clearly people on the boats need to be warm, but are there alteratives that are suitable?

Massive, massive, massive reduction in burning of fossil fuels. Both locally and indirectly imported via purchasing from other areas of the country/world. Wood burners also need limiting/filtering or something in densely populated areas. And using materials that don't put dust in the air e.g. vehicle brake -pad dust. Plus hugely reduce the number of vehicles too, obviously. We need loads more trees/plants too. And stop aiming for growth!

Air quality in Greater Cambridge is affected by emissions from space heating and from transport. The Local Plan should contain policies that support heat pumps as the primary source of energy for space heating, both for new development and in replacing heating systems in existing buildings. Government policy identifies the relationship between air quality and patterns of growth and travel (NPPF paragraph 103). The Local Plan should allocate development sites that are accessible by walking, cycling and public transport and which would enable travel by sustainable modes of transport leading to reductions in congestion and emissions.

Ban cars!

Consideration should be given to existing and proposed developments in adjoining areas where substantial numbers of people may be traveling into Greater Cambridge to minimise the impacts on additional car congestion and promote coordinated public transport infrastructure.

By discouraging car use

We should not merely create opportunities for active travel and public transport, but actively dissuade private car use. I accept that e-cars produce less local pollution than ICEs, but they do cause local pollution from their abrasion particulates, so infrastructure to support e-cars is ultimately counter-productive. Far better to run plenty of e-buses, charged at depots with renewable electricity. Reduce private car use in the city by a congestion charge, or higher parking charges, or CCPs with ANPR, or anything that works. Building homes with garages where private cars sit unused for 95% of the time is a very poor use of space, as well as perpetuating unsustainable travel. So new developments should generally not allow for private cars, just a small percentage for disabled users. Compensate with excellent public transport, car club locations, and infrastructure for active travel. Extend Cambridge’s central pedestrianised area.

Limit cars and car use

Measures such as the provision of alternative modes of transport, reducing movements and improving accessibility, improved tree coverage and habitats with high carbon offsetting potential are all ways to improve air quality. The masterplan for Trumpington South locates residential properties away from poorer air quality locations. The Air Quality Assessment produced by Buro Happold concludes that the air quality impacts associated with emissions from surrounding roads on future site occupants will not be significant. The masterplan also seeks to discourage private cars and encourage active transport (walking and cycling) and public transport, with the implementation of car-free zones, Electric Vehicle charging infrastructure and centralised parking locations. The proposed masterplan also incorporates other elements that will have a positive impact on air quality, including zero-carbon homes in operation and extensive tree planting across the site.