COVID-19 Lockdowns Show Positive Impacts on Traffic Flow and Air Quality in Oxford
Researchers looked at how the COVID-19 lockdown measures impacted the traffic flow and the concentrations of pollutants in Oxford’s atmosphere.
A recent study, co-authored by Professor Felix Leach from the Department of Engineering Science, has found that emergency public health measures introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic have had a positive impact on traffic flow and air quality in cities in the United Kingdom. The study analysed real-time air quality and traffic data from Oxford, and found that the first national lockdown resulted in a 77.5% reduction in cars on the road.
The findings of this study provide valuable insights into the positive impacts of COVID-19 restrictions on traffic flow and air quality and highlight the importance of reducing personal transport demand to improve air quality and protect public health.
Read the report here. Or for a more detailed version see here.