Report

Particulate abatement strategy for Middelburg

At the request of the Middelburg local authority, CE Delft has designed a strategy for reducing particulate emissions in the municipality. Since the introduction of new legislation several years ago, the issue of air quality has moved centre stage in the Netherlands. In Middelburg, too, this had led to action on various fronts and the local authority is now keen to get a better view of the decisions and measures already taken to improve air quality and particulate levels in particular. The authority also wishes to take additional steps to better safeguard citizens’ health. This strategy document reviews the measures already in place and sets out, with reference to local particulars, a number of policies that can lead to a further improvement of air quality. Based on criteria of effectiveness and feasibility, among other things, at a workshop with experts from the local authority the following measures were selected as meriting priority:

  • Natural gas as a vehicle fuel and particle traps on the existing truck fleet.
  • Particulate abatement at construction and demolition sites.
  • Intensification of cycling policy.
  • Improvement of the parking direction system.

In addition, the budgetary feasibility of a quayside power supply along the canal is being examined. Besides improving air quality, the selected measures will also contribute to securing the environmental targets for transport mobility set out in the town’s Environmental Vision.

Authors