Institution news
Promoting safe, efficient transport systems with minimal congestion is important for society and the economy as a whole, says
Philippa Oldham, Head of
Transport and Manufacturing.
While manufacturing generates over 60% of all UK exports and employs three million people. These two areas are vital to the growth and prosperity of the UK. The Institution is recognised as a key thought-leader across both transport and manufacturing sectors; providing guidance to government agencies, Parliamentarians, and the media.
As part of the Institution's Manifesto for 2017, the Institution of Mechanical Engineers is calling for all political parties to commit to:
1. Create a new emission standards across transport modes. Air quality policy has been focussed on CO2 for too long. All vehicles (including cars, trains, aeroplanes, ships) need to be monitored to understand the detailed picture in terms of all harmful emissions not just CO2 – including Methane, NOx, UFP and PM. The UK Government must work with industry towards all vehicles having on board emission monitoring equipment to record exposure of pollution to passengers, this is still important with electric vehicles as they emit Ultra Fine Particles and Particulate Matter.
2. Expand emissions monitoring. This must include recording levels of pollution at all enclosed stations (including underground stations). Currently most UK diesel trains do not meet the Euro IIIB emission standard and therefore exceed safe levels of pollution. We must promote adoption of technologies, such as start-stop functionality, that minimise diesel locomotives idling in stations and implement a fine system if not followed.
3. To create a plan of action on how we can retrofit vehicles with technology that can clean up our transport emissions. New greener vehicles are clearly important, but there is much that could be done to update our existing fleet. There are some very good examples from Greener Bus Journey’s research but this needs to include cars, trains, lorries, buses and taxis The introduction of an accreditation scheme to demonstrate compliance with clean air zones would accelerate uptake.
4. To urgently bring capacity-enhancing innovations for the UK railways into operational use. This could be done through Rail Delivery Group and Rail Supply Group identifying barriers to entry for current implementable projects in Rail Safety and Standards Board’s solutions catalogue. Making sure they are surmounted, for example, by the Department for Transport and Office of Rail and Road regulation adopting novel financing arrangements to adequately recompense individual Train Operating Companies and Freight Operating Companies for implementing improvements that have a negative business case for them individually, but free up capacity on the railway.
Discover our manifestos for other sectors: