Hammersmith & Fulham Council has won a prestigious national award for its pioneering air quality monitoring (AQM) system installed to support the South Fulham Traffic, Congestion and Pollution Reduction Scheme (TCPR).
Judges at the Local Government Chronicle (LGC) awards praised the “positive demonstrable benefits” after the council installed the largest concentration of AQMs anywhere in Europe as part of its mission to tackle the climate emergency and enhance the quality of life for residents.
Traffic and CO2 reduced
Data shows the TCPR scheme has reduced traffic by 23 per cent in South Fulham since its launch in July 2020, bringing down the number of trips by motorists by 8,000 per day, and contributing to the removal of at least one tonne of CO2 per day from the area.
Fifty-six sensors attached to existing lamp columns have been monitoring multiple particulates and gases across South Fulham. The data, used alongside the latest smart tech traffic monitoring systems, helps explain the effect of traffic reduction on air pollution and has enabled the council to develop measures to reduce traffic, congestion and pollution.
Cllr Wesley Harcourt, H&F Cabinet Member for the Environment, said: “H&F was one of the first boroughs in the country to declare a climate emergency and this trailblazing air quality monitoring project has been a vital component in reducing traffic, congestion and pollution in South Fulham.”
The LGC “Future Places” award is the second national award for the TCPR scheme which uses the latest automated number plate recognition technology to restrict out of borough motorists from using residential side streets as cut throughs in South Fulham. It has also won the British Parking Association’s “Future Parking” award.
Climate response
H&F was also praised at the LGC Awards on climate emergency, being highly commended in the Climate Response category for the work done by the council’s Education Project Team.
Projects include the first-ever Youth Climate Summit and working with Hammersmith-based environmental charity Urbanwise to create a new Climate Education Guide. These efforts are designed to inspire children, young people, and their families to be powerful advocates for tackling the climate emergency.
The LGC commendation recognised all the hard work that is happening within the education sector, with one judge saying: “The next generation is well served in H&F.”
Children and young people are at the heart of our climate strategy, as their future will be most affected by decisions taken today. And our teachers are leading the way locally by completing the eduCCate Global Programme.
The programme is accredited by UN CC:Learn (the One United Nations Climate Change Learning Partnership) and delivers the climate change teacher course and the climate curriculum for all ages, which will be taught throughout existing school curriculum.
Finalists
H&F had more finalists this year than any other local authority at the coveted LGC awards.
The awards, held on Thursday 4 November in central London, were designed to recognise the most exceptional local government talent. This includes Kim Smith, Chief Executive of H&F, who was shortlisted for an Outstanding Individual Contribution award.
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