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BINGLEY RELIEF ROAD AIR QUALITY FORECASTS

In November 1997 Bradford Councils Specialist Pollution Team produced a report on the predicted Air Quality for Bingley Main Street in the year 2000. They used two possible scenarios: the first that the Relief Road was not built; the second that the Relief Road was in operation.

They used the methodology and models contained in the "Design Manual for Roads and Bridges" Volume 11, Section 3, Part 1 (HMSO) & the best available information on traffic flow forecasts for the road. They modelled the concentrations of toxic emissions at a single point on Bingley Main St.

They predicted concentrations of 76 ppb NO2 with no Relief Rd., and 65 ppb with the Relief Rd - a difference of 14%.

Here KDIS produces a similar report, modelling emissions at several points in Bingley Town centre to give a fuller picture of the effects of the Relief Rd. The points all lay along a straight line perpendicular to the Relief Rd. and Bingley Main St., (See Fig 1).

receptor points across Bingley

Fig 1. : Receptor points across Bingley Town Centre

 

NO2 emission forecasts were made at 5 points lying on a straight line across Bingley Town centre for the year 2000. The five points were:

(A) RIVERSIDE, a point at the South end of Market street, some 50m from Bingley Main St.

(B) MAIN STREET, kerbside. The single point chosen by the Councils Specialist Pollution Unit for its prediction announced in November this year.

(C) MIDPOINT between the two roads, giving an "average" measure.

(D) TOWPATH of the canal, kerbside to the Relief Road.

(E) SCHOOL PLAYGROUND of Bingley Church of England primary school.

The line was drawn so as to include the point used by the council team (point B).

The same model, assumptions and traffic flow forecasts were used as had been used in the Council report. [see Appendix 1]

(1) With no Relief Rd. peak hour traffic flow will remain the same along Bingley Main St.

(2) With the Relief Rd peak hour traffic flow in total through Bingley will almost double, with most of it on the Relief Rd. Traffic on the Main Street will drop to about 50% of its current level.

(3) The model assumes traffic only along Bingley Main St and the Relief Rd (where appropriate). All other traffic (such as Park Rd) is ignored.

The results are shown below (Fig 2):

NO2 Emission forecasts, Bingley Town Centre

Fig 2.

NO2 (ppb 98%ile)

Receptor

Distance from centre of Main Street (m)

Distance from centre of Relief Road (m)

1997

2000

(No Relief Rd)

2000

(With Relief Rd)

Difference % (with v. without)

A (Riverside)

75

155

45

41

36

-12%

B (Main St)

5

75

88

76

63

-17%

C (Midpoint)

40

40

60

54

59

9%

D (Towpath)

85

5

42

38

73

92%

E (School)

135

55

31

23

46

100%

 

The results were plotted on a graph (Fig 3) to give a cross section of the distribution of Nitrogen Dioxide levels across Bingley Town Centre.

The first forecast was made with the assumption that the Relief Road was not built (shown dotted). It peaks at Bingley Main Street (Point B) measuring 76 ppb, then falls off quite quickly.

The second was made with the Relief Road built (shown solid). Point B shows a 17% drop to 63 ppb. However, by the midpoint of the 2 roads (the "average" measure), there is a 9% increase. The Canal towpath beside the Relief Road shows a 92% increase, and at 73 ppb is close to the worst level with no Relief Rd as measured beside Bingley Main Street. The school playground shows a massive 100% increase in toxic Nitrogen Dioxide emissions, from 23 to 46 ppb.

No2 emission forecasts

Councils Response  

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