Building health assessed through environmental parameters after the OTS in the city centre of Oxford, UK

Abstract

The Oxford Transport Strategy (OTS) implemented in the Oxford city centre in June 1999 had an environmental impact associated with reduced car traffic and improved air quality, particularly of SO2 and CO. The effect on reductions in atmospheric pollutants and improved air quality is examined in this paper. By examining records of change associated with specific traffic records and mean annual measures of pollutants, including NO2, NOX, SO2, CO, O3 and PM10, it is possible to relate trends over 15 years (between 1997 and 2012) and evaluate the impacts on buildings. Specifically, this study reveals that soiling was reduced following the OTS and that building decay features stabilised. This occurred when there were reduced levels of traffic on some streets and improved air quality (at Oxford Centre, High Street and generally at St Ebbes) in the Oxford city centre. Reduced concentrations of all measured pollutants (except O3 at the urban background site; with the least reductions in NO2 and PM10 and greatest reductions in NOX, SO2 and CO) indicate a cleaner urban atmosphere since the OTS. Since O3 was the only traffic pollutant that slightly increased in the post-OTS atmosphere, its impact on building stone merits more research.

Study on the Regeneration of City Centre Spatial Structure Pedestrianisation Based on Space Syntax: Case Study on 21 City Centres in the UK

“…In addition to green space [15], commerce [16] and culture [17], walkable streets have been widely valued for their important role in carrying 'human activity' [18][19][20][21][22], and Tallon outlines aspects of what a sustainable central area should be [23]. The contribution of central area traffic patterns [24,25] and open space organisation patterns [26,27] to reducing carbon emissions and achieving humane and sustainable development has been widely recognised [28]. Superblocks (also known as Superillas and Supermanzanas) in Barcelona show a typical regeneration case of pedestrianisation [29].…”

Geography, urban geomorphology and sustainability

“…; Randall and Baetz ). In the first paper, Thornbush () revisits the effects of a traffic abatement strategy within central Oxford, UK, 16 years after its implementation. The results indicate that the Oxford Transport Strategy (OTS) improved local urban environmental health, measured using limestone weathering as an assessment tool (indicator) of historical buildings located in the city centre.…”