European trends in environmental monitoring and enforcement

David Crawford surveys European trends in environmental monitoring and enforcement

All the Low Emission Zones (LEZs) monitored in a Europe-wide study published in 2010 have reported positive impacts on air quality, emissions levels and the rates of introduction of cleaner vehicles (typically Heavy Goods Vehicles (HGVs)). The results are significantly improved where enforcement is automated (for example by Automated Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) cameras) as opposed to being manual, resulting in compliance rates close to 100 per cent.

Assessments comparing LEZs (some 200 are currently operating or planned in 11 countries across Europe) with "other appropriate local measures" typically find that the zones are the most effective, according to the study. Carried out by Emmendingen, Germany-based air quality specialist 2113 Sadler Consultants for the UK 1837 Department for Transport (DfT), this is seen as preparing the ground for a future UK national policy initiative in the area.

 The Netherlands, Italy and the UK are currently leading in the deployment of automated camera-based enforcement of milieuzones (LEZs). The Dutch are moving to upgrade existing manual systems that have been widely introduced in cities around the Netherlands since 2007. This is in contrast to 1466 Transport for London (TfL)'s decision to automate its LEZ from the outset.

The Netherlands

The Amsterdam scheme, developed by 53 Gatsometer and installed in September 2009, topped the Environment category of the 2010 70 Intertraffic Innovation Awards (see 'Clean break', pp.39-40, 1846 ITS International July-August 2009). Based on an array of 50 camera locations covering the 'natural border' of the A10 inner ring road, it has delivered compliance rates of 97 per cent (compared with 85 per cent using the previous manual system) and a maximum error level of 0.02 per cent.

The Innovation Awards jury welcomed the new system as an "important initial step towards achieving a much cleaner environment in a major city". The scheme currently excludes vans, as do those in many other European cities; air quality campaigners are pressing for such extensions as having wider environmental benefits.

Among the 10 other Dutch cities that currently have LEZs (one of the highest tallies in Europe), The Hague, the administrative capital of The Netherlands, plans to have its new camera-based system fully operational by the end of 2010, following testing since September. It uses cameras supplied by Dutch company ARS Traffic and Transport Technology at 12 strategic locations, at least one of which any HGV will have to pass on its way into the central area.

Previous manual compliance levels were initially around 70 per cent. The first attempt to raise this level, milieuzone project leader Rob Velders told 1846 ITS International, was personal and educational: "We spent a lot of effort contacting individual violators, explaining the LEZ's aim and giving out information on how to comply. Few were fined." This brought compliance levels up to around 90 per cent but left a hard core of around 250 violators per day who could not, apparently, be persuaded. "With ANPR we aim to achieve 98 per cent compliance", says Velders. "That will mean cleaner air, and also send out a strong signal to those who have invested effort and money in abiding by the rules." The city uses the same back office software as Amsterdam and is also already investigating a potential extension to cover vans. Its suburb of Rijswijk is planning a camera installation of its own in 2011.

Utrecht plans end-2010 deployment of a mobile ANPR application. This will use a van equipped with a camera system developed by Dutch companies Agendum and Abstract Computing International for their existing SCANaCAR parking enforcement service. Rotterdam is closely studying the performance of its current manual system as a prelude to possible automation.

Italy

In Italy, Milan's Ecopass zone - effectively a pollution-based charging cordon - is policed by cameras at 43 electric gates around an 8km2

zone a trafico limitato (ZTL), corresponding to the city's historic central core. Installed as a one-year trial project in January 2008, the scheme has since been continued and extended in scope.

It is based on a fee structure relating to vehicles' engine emission standards and the funds are used to finance public and green transport projects. Data for the first half of 2010 shows average daily PM10 emissions down by 14 per cent as compared with the preceding period.

The UK

The London LEZ came into operation a month later, in February 2008, following a study which recommended an automated approach if the LEZ were at some point to include vans, to ensure adequate detection rates. It is now registering approximately 96 per cent compliance.

 In autumn 2010, the Mayor of London confirmed that the LEZ will cover larger vans and other non-HGV traffic from January 2012. (The UK Government is under notice from the 1816 European Union (EU) to take further action to clean up London's air.) The scope for further UK LEZs is currently under consideration, following the Sadler Consultants report. Feasibility studies carried out in advance of the London scheme envisaged implementations in seven large urban areas in the UK.

UK Local Transport Minister Norman Baker, MP told ITS International: "LEZs are not a 'cure-all' but one of a wide range of strategies that can support local action. We are doing further work to understand their implications and the extent to which they could be expected to benefit local authorities." Says Sam Pollard, a Principal Environmental Scientist with consultants AECOM, which has researched the feasibility of a scheme for Glasgow, Scotland: "The UK is currently failing to meet national objectives and legally binding EU air quality limits in many parts of the country. This is primarily as a result of emissions from road transport. LEZs, such as the one planned for Glasgow, can be designed for local circumstances to reduce pollutant concentrations while also being cost-effective, even over relatively small areas."

Pollard sees roles for simpler schemes than London's, which could even target specific vehicle fleets, using permit management and verification systems.

 AECOM's study followed the publication by the devolved 2112 Scottish Government of a 2009 report on Local Air Quality Management Guidance: Low Emission Zones. This noted the potential of alternative enforcement technologies including Dedicated Short-Range Communication (DSRC) and proximity smartcards.

2055 Glasgow City Council acknowledges that its city centre and two other areas are currently performing unsatisfactorily in air pollution terms. It plans to make a decision on an LEZ following fresh guidance on road transport emissions expected from the UK's Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

In Wales, the devolved 2111 Welsh Assembly Government has published practical guidance to local authorities on the introduction of LEZs. It points out that zones can also reduce congestion if linked to a congestion charging scheme; and, again, envisages alternative enforcement technologies to ANPR.

Enforcement issues

The key issues for enforcement are costs and cross-border application. With growing constraints on their budgets, local

The role of the EU

The EU requires Member States to divide their territories into zones or agglomerations for air quality assessment and sets health-based Limit Values (LVs), using measurement and modelling tools, on the strength of advice from the World Health Organisation. Measures so far implemented include limits for the total amount of emissions that each country is allowed to emit, under the 2001 National Emissions Ceilings Directive.
The EU sees LEZs, defined as geographical areas where the most polluting vehicles (typically HGVs) are restricted, deterred or discouraged from access and use by enforcing specified emissions criteria, as one of the most effective measures for meeting its PM10 and NO2 LVs.

authorities are having to weigh up the competing attractions of low operating costs as against the achievement of higher compliance levels and, thus, environmental targets.

One potential avenue for reducing automation costs is the integration of systems, for examle the multiple use of cameras and/or communications systems. Brian Smith, Technical Director of 37 PIPS Technology, which supplied its P372 Spike cameras for the London LEZ via prime contractor 189 Siemens, points out that ANPR links can already carry specific environmentally-relevant data (for instance, on CO2 emissions as a congestion monitor).

On the potential multiple use of existing cameras for LEZ purposes, he stresses that the principle is fine but key fundamentals apply: "If one of the uses has an evidential requirement, such as to aid detection and collection of fines for non-compliance, then the system has to be robust enough to meet technical and legal challenges." This typically requires authentication (making the evidence unalterable without detection) and encryption (making the evidence secret) on each and every ANPR transaction. "If", continues Smith, "roadside cameras have this technology in the first place, then using the data for other purposes is a possibility.

 "If they do not, then it is typically difficult to upgrade their capability, unless the same camera model is available with or without it in the first place. Enforcement capability is not easily added later." Most European LEZs are designed to cover foreign as well as domestic vehicles, but acknowledge problems with effective enforcement. The key is EU-wide action, as with processes currently under way for road safety infringements, which some Member States want to see covering LEZs as well.