BBC Radio 4 programme Costing the Earth this week focuses on what it calls cruising’s “dirty secret”, looks at how Southampton’s air quality could be improved, and includes interviews with the founders of the Clean Air Southampton group.
• Southampton’s Clean Air Strategy gets green light
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The programme starts off looking at plans to create a new cruise passenger terminal in Greenwhich, and then (nine minutes in) moves to Southampton – named in 2014 by the World Health Organisation as one of the most air polluted cities in the UK.
Near the port, Clean Air Southampton co-founders Liz Batten and Colin MacQueen reflect on the effect of having 1.7 million cruise ship passengers passing through each year, and the fact that the ships are currently powered by diesel engines while berthed.
The programme also looks at the options and costs for shore-side plug in power for ships, and the dramatic results claimed in air quality improvements where plug-in power is a reality in the huge Port of Los Angeles.
You can listen to the programme online for a limited period here, or download it as an MP3 file, or listen again on 16/11/16 at 11pm 9pm on Radio 4.
• Southampton’s Clean Air Strategy gets green light
Previously
Video: Pollution in Southampton - 'We really must now act'
Clean Air Zone launched – but does it go far enough?
Links
The English cities which breach air pollution safety guidelines – BBC, May 2014