Highlights:

  • CAZ will ensure that city achieves a reduction of nitrogen dioxide pollution in the shortest possible time.
  • Automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) camera monitoring and enforcement technology will improve air quality.
  • The Portsmouth Clean Air Zone is anticipated to be ready for live testing in August 2021.

Mobility solution

The Council of Portsmouth City awarded Siemens Mobility Limited a contract to design a Clean Air Zone (CAZ) for the city’s southwest side.

The implementation of CAZ will ensure that city achieves a reduction in nitrogen dioxide pollution in the shortest possible time. In this scheme, drivers of most polluting vehicles such as taxis, busses, lorries, and coaches will be charged to encourage them to upgrade to cleaner, no, or low-emission vehicles.

Automatic number plate recognition (ANPR)

To design an enhanced and reliable CAZ solution, Siemens Mobility works closely with the Central Government’s Joint Air Quality Unit, the City Council, and other program partners.

The company’s proven automatic number plate recognition (ANPR) camera monitoring and enforcement technology and expertise will improve air quality in the city. Siemens Mobility’s Sicore II ANPR will be installed at 42 locations across the zone.

The cameras will play a vital role in detecting and recognize every vehicle that enters the zone. The stored information will be interfaced with the UK government’s national Clean Air Zone database for vehicle checking and payment.

Plans

The Council conducted a public consultation in July and August 2020 regarding their plans. The Portsmouth Clean Air Zone is anticipated to be ready for live testing in August 2021, with full implementation planned for November 2021.

Expert view

Wilke Reints, Managing Director Siemens Mobility Intelligent Traffic Systems UK, commented: “As traffic levels nationally return to pre-lockdown levels, air quality remains a major concern for local authorities, and is the most significant environmental risk to people’s health.”

He further added, “With our UK manufacturing base in Poole, we have the capability and operational flexibility to meet the demand for clean air solutions which are playing a vital role in not only improving air quality but also changing drivers’ behavior.”

Reints also added: “We are continuing to work with customers to deliver tailored solutions that will have an immediate positive impact on air quality and the health and wellbeing of their city’s residents, workers, and visitors. This CAZ solution is a perfect example, building on our extensive experience with similar schemes both in the UK and internationally.”

Councillor Dave Ashmore, Cabinet Member for Environment and amp; Climate Change, commented: “It is important we do all we can do to improve air quality in Portsmouth, as polluted air impacts everyone’s health.”

He further added, “Improving cleaner travel options is essential to the future of our city, so I’m pleased that Siemens Mobility will bring their vast experience of Clean Air Zone solutions and ANPR technology to the design of the Portsmouth CAZ.”

Ashmore also added, “We must all take action to improve air quality, and the CAZ is a significant part of the work we’re doing to tackle air pollution in the city. This is supported by a number of other activities, including providing more Electric Vehicle (EV) charge points and retrofitting over 100 local buses, so they meet cleaner Euro 6 standards.”