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Air Pollution Exposure in Walking School Bus Routes: A New Zealand Case Study

Author

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  • Kim N. Dirks

    (School of Population Health, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland 1142, New Zealand)

  • Jennifer A. Salmond

    (School of Environment, Faculty of Science, University of Auckland, Auckland 1142, New Zealand)

  • Nicholas Talbot

    (Research and Investigations, Auckland Council, Auckland 1010, New Zealand)

Abstract

Walking School Buses (WSBs), organized groups for children to walk to school under the supervision of adults, help reduce traffic congestion and contribute towards exercise. Routes are based largely on need, traffic safety and travel time, with exposure to air pollution not generally considered. This paper explores whether reductions in exposure can be achieved based on the side of the road travelled using data collected in Auckland, New Zealand. Exposure to air pollution was measured for a 25-min commute consisting of a 10-min segment along a quiet cul-de-sac and a 15-min segment along a main arterial road with traffic congestion heavier in one direction. Two participants were each equipped with a portable P-Trak ultrafine particle monitor and a portable Langan carbon monoxide monitor, and walked the route on opposite sides of the road simultaneously, for both morning and afternoon, logging 10-s data. The results suggest that pedestrians travelling on the footpath next to the less congested side of the road in the morning avoid many short-term peaks in concentration and experience significantly lower mean exposures than those travelling on the footpath next to the more congested side. Significant reductions in air pollution exposure could be made for children by taking into account the side of the road in WSB route design.

Suggested Citation

  • Kim N. Dirks & Jennifer A. Salmond & Nicholas Talbot, 2018. "Air Pollution Exposure in Walking School Bus Routes: A New Zealand Case Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(12), pages 1-12, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:15:y:2018:i:12:p:2802-:d:189307
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Collins, Damian & Kearns, Robin A., 2010. "Walking school buses in the Auckland region: A longitudinal assessment," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 17(1), pages 1-8, January.
    2. Collins, Damian C. A. & Kearns, Robin A., 2005. "Geographies of inequality: Child pedestrian injury and walking school buses in Auckland, New Zealand," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 60(1), pages 61-69, January.
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    Cited by:

    1. Mehrdad Rafiepourgatabi & Alistair Woodward & Jennifer A. Salmond & Kim Natasha Dirks, 2021. "The Effect of Route Choice in Children’s Exposure to Ultrafine Particles Whilst Walking to School," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(15), pages 1-16, July.
    2. Reed Ciarloni & K. Bruce Newbold, 2023. "Air Pollution Health Literacy among Active Commuters in Hamilton, Ontario," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 20(13), pages 1-23, July.
    3. Maria Cieśla & Elżbieta Macioszek, 2022. "The Perspective Projects Promoting Sustainable Mobility by Active Travel to School on the Example of the Southern Poland Region," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-18, August.
    4. Mehrdad Rafiepourgatabi & Alistair Woodward & Jennifer A. Salmond & Kim N. Dirks, 2021. "Socioeconomic Status and Route Characteristics in Relation to Children’s Exposure to Air Pollution from Road Traffic While Walking to School in Auckland, New Zealand," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(9), pages 1-17, May.
    5. Keith April G. Arano & Shengjing Sun & Joaquin Ordieres-Mere & and Bing Gong, 2019. "The Use of the Internet of Things for Estimating Personal Pollution Exposure," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(17), pages 1-25, August.

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