Successful conclusion to air quality project

• Localised air quality in Brixton is improved and traffic flow is improved
• Innovative data-centric programme concludes with strong results
• Advanced Bosch air quality monitors give highly accurate data

Bosch, a leading global supplier of technology and services, has concluded its project with Transport for London (TfL) and Lambeth Council in which the parties monitored and improved air quality in Brixton, south London. A detailed analysis of the results of the two-year innovation partnership has now been completed.

In addition to demonstrating a marked improvement in localised air quality, the project had other positive outcomes. These include reduced traffic congestion and smoother traffic flow, and a greater understanding of how wind and the weather affect the dispersion of pollutants across the inner-city area.

Designing a project to improve London’s air quality

A strategic priority outlined in the Mayor’s Transport Strategy (MTS) is to improve the quality of the air that Londoners breathe. Bosch has advanced technology in this area, while TfL has a strong track record in world-leading innovation in transport and mobility. This includes the use and provision of open data, contactless ticketing, the implementation of road congestion and air quality measures and the development of advanced Tube signaling.

The partnership between Bosch’s dedicated Mobility Solutions team, TfL

and the London Borough of Lambeth aimed to develop the parties understanding of how air quality can be improved. The base hypothesis of

the trial considered that local air quality can be enhanced through advanced traffic management.

To achieve this Bosch deployed highly accurate air quality monitors in the centre of Brixton and in the streets nearby. The data that they collected was combined with TfL traffic count data and used as inputs to sophisticated emissions and dispersion modelling from Bosch. This allowed TfL to intelligently control the traffic flow through adjusting traffic light timing, and to complete the loop the Bosch air quality monitors then collected further data, which showed the significant benefit of the traffic management measures.

A successful collaboration in detail
Across Brixton, 17 Bosch air quality boxes measured the air for a range of pollutants including NO2, and O3, as well as particulates PM2.5 and PM10.

A vital part of the project was to use advanced data from HERE Technologies. This data was essential to understanding the dynamic flow of vehicles passing through Brixton. Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) technology ensured the modelling included vital information about the classification of the vehicles, including their engine type (whether they were petrol, diesel, electric or hybrid), and the emissions emitted from each vehicle. Using the Loop sensors in the road it was also possible to count vehicles passing through particular zones, as well as how close they were to each other – which meant the traffic flow and the traffic density could be recorded in detail.

This data enabled Bosch to run its Environmentally Sensitive Traffic Management model. This purpose-built cloud-based software showed emissions at certain points in Brixton, and how the emissions were changing through a typical day.

To build a full picture of how pollution builds up in a specific area it’s important to also know the topology. Each area is different and the air can circulate in particular ways according to the building infrastructure nearby. Additionally, the weather plays a crucial role: the humidity and temperature alter the chemical exchanges that influence air quality, and so they have to be accurately measured and included in the Air Quality Dispersion Model (AQDM).

For the first time, the air quality in Brixton was being measured minute-by-minute and the causes of the peaks and troughs could be tied accurately to traffic, vehicle and environment data.

Making an impact in Brixton
Bosch’s monitoring and modelling used data points to advise TfL and Lambeth Council on what actions could be implemented to improve air quality. The key was to adjust the timing of traffic lights. This led to a direct improvement in the air quality as well as a faster flow of traffic through the town centre as evidenced by measured data.

A reduction in nitrogen oxide (NOx) of 6% was recorded, however a lane closure had a negative impact on traffic flow and consequently that figure. A reduction of nearer 20% was the outcome prior to the lane closure.

Average vehicle speed increased from 8.7mph to 10.6mph. Therefore, the traffic light signaling strategy will continue to be used in Brixton to improve traffic flow and air quality. Data and lessons learned from this trial will be used to inform TfL’s future traffic management interventions. These tools are equally beneficial for early simulation of new road infrastructure programmes to assess their potential impact on local air quality.

Air Quality Lead for Bosch UK, Ian Larbey, said: “We have conclusively reduced emissions and improved traffic flow in Brixton and that’s a fantastic outcome. With our highly accurate air quality monitoring and modelling coupled with key additional data points we ended up with a sophisticated model that enabled us to understand the best way to improve air quality. We’ve made a real difference in Brixton and we’re excited about the huge potential we have to improve the air quality in other areas of London but more widely in the UK and beyond.”

Rikesh Shah, Head of Commercial Innovation at Transport for London (TfL) said: “We are proud of the work achieved in Brixton and through this new approach of co-innovating, with Bosch, the London Borough of Lambeth and HERE Technologies. We applied an approach that put users front and centre and could be adapted to explore different innovative solutions to move further forward with the vital work to improve London’s air. Toxic air pollution in the capital is still the biggest environmental risk to the health of all Londoners and by using smart technologies such as those provided by Bosch we can help London breathe easier.”

Cllr Danial Adilypour, Cabinet Member for Sustainable Transport, Environment and Clean Air: “Nitrogen dioxide pollution has been cut by over 60 percent on Brixton Road since 2014. But there is more work to do to improve air quality to the level that Lambeth residents expect, and I welcome this trial as a contribution to that effort. This project demonstrates the key role that smart technologies can play in getting Lambeth closer to a clean air future.”

General Manager EMEAR and Senior Vice President at HERE Technologies, Gino Ferru, said: “Road transport is responsible for 39% of nitrogen oxide (NOx) emission in the EU. By collaborating with Bosch on the Air Quality Solution, HERE is helping cities such as London to not only analyse the origin of local air pollution but also to decrease it by putting in place Environmentally Sensitive Traffic Management. We look forward to expanding our collaboration to other London boroughs and to offering our services in many other cities.”

Contact person for press enquiries:

James Bolton: +44 1895 87-8049

James.Bolton@uk.bosch.com

@BoschUK

The Bosch Group is a leading global supplier of technology and services. It employs roughly 395,000 associates worldwide (as of December 31, 2020). The company generated sales of 71.5 billion euros in 2020. Its operations are divided into four business sectors: Mobility Solutions, Industrial Technology, Consumer Goods, and Energy and Building Technology. As a leading IoT provider, Bosch offers innovative solutions for smart homes, Industry 4.0, and connected mobility. Bosch is pursuing a vision of mobility that is sustainable, safe, and exciting. It uses its expertise in sensor technology, software, and services, as well as its own IoT cloud, to offer its customers connected, cross-domain solutions from a single source. The Bosch Group’s strategic objective is to facilitate connected living with products and solutions that either contain artificial intelligence (AI) or have been developed or manufactured with its help. Bosch improves quality of life worldwide with products and services that are innovative and spark enthusiasm. In short, Bosch creates technology that is “Invented for life.” The Bosch Group comprises Robert Bosch GmbH and its roughly 440 subsidiary and regional companies in some 60 countries. Including sales and service partners, Bosch’s global manufacturing, engineering, and sales network covers nearly every country in the world. With its more than 400 locations worldwide, the Bosch Group has been carbon neutral since the first quarter of 2020. The basis for the company’s future growth is its innovative strength. At 129 locations across the globe, Bosch employs some 73,000 associates in research and development, of which nearly 34,000 are software engineers.

The company was set up in Stuttgart in 1886 by Robert Bosch (1861-1942) as “Workshop for Precision Mechanics and Electrical Engineering.” The special ownership structure of Robert Bosch GmbH guarantees the entrepreneurial freedom of the Bosch Group, making it possible for the company to plan over the long term and to undertake significant upfront investments in the safeguarding of its future. Ninety-four percent of the share capital of Robert Bosch GmbH is held by Robert Bosch Stiftung GmbH, a charitable foundation. The remaining shares are held by Robert Bosch GmbH and by a corporation owned by the Bosch family. The majority of voting rights are held by Robert Bosch Industrietreuhand KG, an industrial trust. The entrepreneurial ownership functions are carried out by the trust.

Additional information is available online at www.bosch.co.uk, www.iot.bosch.com, www.bosch-press.com, http://www.twitter.com/BoschPress