With the aim of ensuring the UK’s transition to net zero protects and promotes physical and mental health, seven new transdisciplinary research hubs are being launched, with funding from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR).
One of those hubs that will be of particular interest to many transport consultants and their clients, is the Healthy Low-carbon Transport Hub (HLTH).
This research hub has been established to lead studies into the potential to maximise the health benefits arising from low-carbon transport.
The importance of faster transport decarbonisation – and the associated health advantages
As the UK seeks to meet its statutory targets for greenhouse gas (CO2e) emissions, the acceleration of its transport decarbonisation drive will play an integral role.
In the past, measures to reduce CO2e emissions haven’t tended to systematically consider physical and mental health impacts, or inequalities in their distribution.
An example of the issues that can arise with this is that when the UK replaced petrol with diesel cars, poorer air quality and health outcomes arose, and increasing levels of obesity and physical inactivity went unaddressed. It is intended, then, that new research will seek to avoid such mistakes.
The health benefits that some forms of low-carbon transport can bring – such as heightened physical activity and cleaner air – have already long been widely documented. There hasn’t been as much clear evidence of mental health and wellbeing benefits, while some forms of low-carbon transport have been promoted without the health implications being fully considered.
It is known today, for instance, that a higher level of particulate emissions from tyres and brakes from increased weight and acceleration/deceleration of electric vehicles (EVs) can lead to respiratory disease of greater severity, and a heightened likelihood and more severe consequences of collisions with vulnerable road users.
Furthermore, health impacts and inequalities in their distribution might also occur as a result of other underlying trends and policy measures which lessen the need to travel – such as through greater remote working.
“This is long overdue, and will bring step-change improvements”
The new Healthy Low-carbon Transport Hub is set to involve public health professionals, public engagement specialists, planners, engineers, geographers, social scientists, and transport and health economists from institutions that are members of the UK Collaboratorium for Research on Infrastructure and Cities (UKCRIC). Such institutions include the Universities of Southampton, Leeds, Birmingham, and University College London.
The Hub’s work will include identification of the barriers, incentives, and accelerants to the implementation of healthy low-carbon transport schemes. In addition, it is expected that the Hub will put forward and evaluate new solutions towards maximising health co-benefits and lowering health inequalities connected to low-carbon transport interventions.
HLTH Project Lead and Professor of Geotechnical Engineering at the University of Southampton, William Powrie, expressed delight about the UKRI and NIHR funding.
He went on to state: “Our interdisciplinary research programme will deliver a multiple-outcome approach to the planning, implementation, and assessment of low-carbon transport schemes, with full integration of health co-benefits and equity considerations.
“This is long overdue, and will bring step-change improvements in both public health and progress towards a low-carbon future.”
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