airTEXT Evaluation Project (June 2008)

Dr. Kirsty Smallbone of the University of Brighton’s School of the Environment has started an 11-month project that will evaluate the airTEXT project. The research will aim to decide if the scheme is operating effectively, its overall usefulness and provide recommendations for continuation and improvements. Kirsty and her team will draw on their considerable experience in working with national and local respiratory groups, patient support groups, health professionals and environmental health officers. The research methodology will include focus groups, questionnaires, diaries of activity and measurements of peak flow readings during forecast periods of elevated and low pollution.

For further information contact Dr Kirsty Smallbone by email, phone: 01273 643306 or post: MSc Environmental Assessment and Management Course Leader, University of Brighton, Cockcroft, Lewes Road, Brighton. BN2 4GJ.

EEA-PROMOTE User Workshop on GMES Atmosphere Services (June 2008)

The User Workshop was held in Copenhagen on 12-13 June 2008. The London airTEXT system was presented on the first morning and was part of the training sessions held on the second afternoon, when users had a chance to try out the different PROMOTE services. The airTEXT presentation can be downloaded here (PDF file, 1.8MB).

London Launch (March 2007)

The London wide expansion of the airTEXT project was launched at the Greater London Authority City Hall on March 28th 2007. Speakers included the Deputy Mayor Nicky Gavron, Steven Briggs from ESA and Lord Hunt from CERC, the developers of the yourair forecasting system that powers airTEXT. Read the full story here...

Accuracy of the system

You can download an Excel file that tracks the accuracy of the system here. Overall, the current system correctly forecasts pollution episodes 73% of the time, with 76% of alerts being issued correctly (eg 25% of alerts are false alerts).

A short report outlining the accuracy of the Croydon airTEXT pilot service that ran from 5 May 2005 to 28 March 2007 can be downloaded here.