Every local authority’s fleet department needs to invest in cleaner vehicles while reducing its carbon footprint. OWL Scotland will provide unbiased information that will help fleet managers achieve their emissions goals.
The team behind OWL Scotland has designed the conference, so operators have access to the latest information on how to reduce emissions, increase air quality and to improve driver wellbeing.
According to the World Health Organisation, air pollution accounts for seven million premature deaths worldwide every year, and the Royal College of Physicians estimates that it is responsible for 40,000 premature deaths in the UK every year. Moreover, around 91% of the world’s population live in areas that exceed the WHO’s guideline limits.
These are sobering figures, but there are steps we can all take to make a difference. Firstly, councils should educate themselves about air pollution. OWL Scotland offers critical insights into how municipal transport operators can be part of the solution towards cleaner air for all.
‘HGV drivers, and especially people in waste have the highest overall exposure to air pollution, and the air quality debate overlooks them in most cases,’ say scientists from King’s College London, one of the world’s leading authorities on air quality research.
Barry Sheerman MP of Huddersfield and Chairman of OWL will discuss how organisations can become part of a revolutionary initiative, called The Westminster Commission for Road Air Pollution to help shape policy and to make a difference.
The objective of this commission is to reduce air pollution created by road users and the effect of air pollution on the human race. It aims to advise and inform members of the House of Commons and the House of Lords on road air pollution, its effects and potential solutions. The committee aims to bring together air quality professionals and legislators. The commission seeks to identify research-based answers taking into account costs, effectiveness, achievability and acceptability.
At the moment, OWL is creating working parties to discuss and debate policy recommendations for the All-Party Parliamentary Clean Air Group to help shape Government policy on the following topics:
- Air monitoring
- Air health
- Planning
- Alternative fuels and vehicles
- Education
Jason Airey, MD of CMS SupaTrak, and Kevin Barcroft, Driver Training Manager for Simply Waste, will be delivering an update on how the OWL Clean Air Project is progressing at OWL Scotland. Together they will inform attendees about critical air monitoring work carried out with the City of London, which will positively affect driver wellbeing.
Jason Airey commented: ‘Multi-purposing commercial vehicles to measure critical environmental parameters will set major benchmarks in the world of municipal transport.’
To gain access to this highly relevant information, view the programme for OWL Scotland here.
To sign up for the physical OWL Scotland event click here.
