IAQM webinar: Air quality and the rail sector

1. Air quality in the rail sector
James Wright and Philbert Chan
16th February 2021

2. Air quality in the rail sector 16 February 2021 IAQM Webinar
Structure
• Introduction to RSSB
• Why air quality is a priority for rail?
• How rail compares to road
• Air Quality Strategic Framework and CLEAR
• Project examples:
• T1186 (online mapping tool)
• T1233 (Air quality targets)
• Stations monitoring network
• Key messages

3. Air quality in the rail sector 16 February 2021 IAQM Webinar
• Rail Safety Standards Board (RSSB)
• Requirement for stand alone safety organisation post privatisation
• Member funded
• Manage standards catalogue and input to new domestic and
international standards
• DfT fund R&D work. RSSB also manage British Rail research ‘back
catalogue’.
• Centre of excellence for sustainability
• Decarbonsation
• Social sustainability
• Air quality
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Introduction

4. Air quality in the rail sector 16 February 2021 IAQM Webinar
Why air quality is a priority in rail
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• Rail contributes approx. 2% of total UK NOx and <1% of total UK PM
• Rail’s contribution may be more significant locally
• Road sector is improving quickly and rail needs to be proactive to maintain its
position as one of the most environmentally friendly modes of transport

5. Air quality in the rail sector 16 February 2021 IAQM Webinar
How rail air quality compares to road

6. Air quality in the rail sector 16 February 2021 IAQM Webinar
Air Quality Strategic Framework
The Air Quality Strategy Framework was
launched in June 2020. This sets the future
path for rail to significantly reduce harmful
pollutant emissions that could affect
passengers, staff and the general public.
Underpinned by a collaborative research
programme, the framework will ensure that
rail remains as one of the cleanest forms of
transport in the UK
https://www.rssb.co.uk/en/Research-and-
Technology/Sustainability/Air-quality
Updated version due end 2021 inc targets
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7. Air quality in the rail sector 16 February 2021 IAQM Webinar
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CLEAR programme – what we will learn
2020
Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr
Rail air quality mapping (T1186)
Fleet wide assessment of rail emissions factors (T1187)
Rolling stock emissions testing (T1189)
Assessment of air quality at depots (T1190)
Air quality personal monitoring (T1191)
Stn Mon (TBC)
Rail standards review for Air Quality (T1232)
Air Quality and Emission Targets (T1233)
Performance requirements and testing protocols for emissions
mitigation (T1235)
Rail emissions mitigation – incentivisation feasibility study (T1236)
AQ Website Resource for Industry (T1192)
Project
2021 2022
Modelling
Monitoring
Mitigation
Where (and why)
do we have AQ
hot-spots ?
What does AQ
look like in key
types of
location?
Baseline of Station AQ across network
Are rail standards
sufficient?
What are we aiming
for (and when)?
What do we need from
mitigationtechnology?
How do we incentiviseemissions
reductions?
What are rail's external AQ costs?
What does exposure
look like?

8. T1186: Rail emissions and
air quality mapping
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9. Air quality in the rail sector 16 February 2021 IAQM Webinar
Scope
• GIS based project to map rail emissions across GB rail network
• Emission factors used in previous NAEI were out of date;
• Based on rail activity data from 2010/11.
• New emission factors (g/km): derived from RSSB research project
T1187*
• Updated activity data: Latest railway track data from Network Rail and
combining this with the Track Access Billing System (TABS) and other
activity data to map train movements by class
• Analysis at AQMAs and CAZs: rail emissions within these areas and %
contribution vs total emissions from all sources
* Reports available on Spark Rail: https://www.sparkrail.org

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ArcGIS Online Tool

11. Air quality in the rail sector 16 February 2021 IAQM Webinar
Additional analysis
• Further analysis at 10 selected AQMAs:
• Centred around stations with idling trains
• Based on notch-base emission factors (g/kWh), taking into account
emissions during idling and acceleration
• Dispersion modelling at a selected station: a test to apply the notch-
based emission factors and investigate impact on local air quality.

12. Air quality in the rail sector 16 February 2021 IAQM Webinar
Key findings
• Proportion of NOx rail emissions comparing with the total emissions in
large urban AQMAs are up to 2-3 times the national average (up to ~7%
vs ~2%).
• Higher proportion found in smaller AQMAs but due to overall much lower
total emissions
• Using notch-based emission factors (g/kWh), emissions were found to
be higher in most of the 10 selected AQMAs:
• g/km factors are weighted averages of all train activity
• Dispersion modelling suggest that emissions from road vehicles have the
biggest contribution to annual mean NO2 concentration at ground floor
receptors (13-51%), comparing with 3-10% from rail. On first and second
floor (closer to the rail), 11-44% from road and 5-11% from rail.
• Similarly for PM10 and PM2.5

13. T1233: Air quality targets
for rail
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14. Air quality in the rail sector 16 February 2021 IAQM Webinar
Objective and scope
• Main objective: To set up targets for key locations within rail that are
practical but also ambitious, enforceable and with the ability to monitor
progress.
• Ambiguity on what air quality standard apply for rail, or lack of;
• Targets to drive improvement in air quality
• Five key pieces of work:
1. What does AQ currently look like in rail and who is affected
2. What relevant standards exist and what is the latest scientific evidence
linking exposure to poor air quality and health effects
3. What is the predicted change in air quality within the rail environment with
and without known mitigation measures?
4. What does industry think about the methodology and how much will this
cost?
5. What are the targets?

15. Stations Air Quality
Monitoring Network
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16. Air quality in the rail sector 16 February 2021 IAQM Webinar
Background and objectives
• Lack of data on air quality in train stations
• Only a handful of published studies undertaken in UK enclosed stations, AQ
can be poor
• A need to develop and operate a monitoring network for train stations in
the UK to achieve the following:
• Provide information on the current state of air pollution (i.e. baseline) across
the rail network focussing on train stations;
• Provide location specific air quality information to prioritise improvement
measures in the highest risk locations;
• Assess the effectiveness of policies and mitigation measures to improve air
quality at stations;
• Inform the public about air quality at train stations; and
• Establish the most accurate and cost-effective air quality monitoring
solutions for rail
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17. Air quality in the rail sector 16 February 2021 IAQM Webinar
Scope and approach
• 3-year project funded by DfT delivered by RSSB
• Supported by Network Rail and various Trains Operating Companies (TOCs)
• To cover approx. 100 stations across England and Wales. Scotland tbc
• Locations prioritised using output from T1186, as well as other factors,
e.g. enclosed stations, presence of sidings and depots nearby
• Three types of monitoring equipment proposed:
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18. Air quality in the rail sector 16 February 2021 IAQM Webinar
Provisional coverage
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19. Key messages
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20. Air quality in the rail sector 16 February 2021 IAQM Webinar
• The rail industry is fragmented in many ways, and RSSB is leading a
coordinated response to understand and improve air quality
• Ensure a consistent approach is taken
• Coordinated monitoring network
• Common parameters to measure progress against, e.g. AQ Targets
• Funding for RSSB’s research projects is through public tender process.
• Opportunity to explore the need / possibility to set up any guidance in
relation to AQ and rail in collaboration with the IAQM
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Key messages

21. Air quality in the rail sector 16 February 2021 IAQM Webinar
James Wright (Air Quality Lead): james.wright@rssb.co.uk
Philbert Chan (Air Quality Specialist): philbert.chan@rssb.co.uk
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Contact details

22. Thank You
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