A majority of urban dwellers across Europe support radical changes in transport policy in order to reduce emissions, a new survey has found.
The survey, carried out by environmental think tank Transport & Environment (T&E) and the European Public Health Alliance (EPHA) surveyed residents of 21 cities across Europe. 64 per cent of them say that they do not want to see a return to pre-Covid lockdown levels of air pollution. 68 per cent agreed that "cities must take effective measures to protect citizens from air pollution, even if it means preventing polluting cars from entering city centres to protect clean air."
Air pollution fell dramatically
According to T&E, levels of air pollution in urban centres across Europe dropped dramatically in the wake of the Covid-19 lockdown, as traffic levels were drastically reduced. Since lockdowns have eased, though, levels have started to creep back up. In China, where air pollution saw major reductions under lockdown, the figures are actually getting worse as people return to work, but stay away from public transport because of fears of infection.
In the T&E survey, 63 per cent of drivers themselves said that they were in support of protecting against air pollution. Around three quarters (74 per cent) of respondents said cities must take effective measures to protect citizens from air pollution, even if this requires reallocating public space to walking, cycling and public transport, with just ten per cent opposed.
Most are keen to use public transport again
While there is some reluctance to start using public transport again, T&E's survey found that people are willing to, as long as proper precautions are taken. 81 per cent overall said that they would be happy to use public transport again, and of that total 54 per cent said that they will return to using buses and trains if they are reassured that proper hygiene measures are being taken. 27 per cent said that they will use public transport again regardless.
Sascha Marschang, Acting Secretary General of the European Public Health Alliance (EPHA), said: "People have taken a deep breath of clean air and decided to keep it. Now the invisible killer is visible: air pollution made us sick, worsened the pandemic and hit the most deprived the hardest. Reducing health inequalities by designing a pollution-free city transport system cannot wait any longer."
William Todts, Executive Director at Transport & Environment (T&E), said: "Europeans are demanding more bike lanes, safer public transport and fewer polluting cars. And the mayors of Paris, Brussels and London are building on this overwhelming public support by expanding cycling lanes and reinstating low-emission zones. The challenge now is to make these 'temporary' sustainable measures permanent, replace polluting cars with shared, electric vehicles and get other cities to follow suit."
Bike use and walking on the up
The results of the survey came from more than 7,000 respondents in cities from Italy, Spain, Germany, France, the UK and Belgium. According to T&E and the EPHA, the replies to the survey were remarkably consistent across territories and social groups. 14 per cent said that they cycled to work before the Covid crisis, and 21 per cent now say that they will use bikes as the crisis eases. Of those planning to walk to work, the number has risen from 32 per cent to 35 per cent.
The two groups praised the efforts of some cities, such as Berlin which has new 'pop-up bike lanes', while greater Paris is investing €300 million in a 680km cycling network. Krakow is upgrading its cycling infrastructure and widening pavements, while Brussels is deprioritising cars in its city centre and adding 40km of bike lanes. Dublin is removing car parking to boost cycling safety and physical distancing.
Late last month the European Commission unveiled a €1.85 trillion recovery plan to reboot the bloc's economy baldly hit by the pandemic. The proposal includes a 25 per cent climate spending target. It stresses the need to prioritise investments in sustainable vehicles, charging stations and cycling.