Air quality forecasting in the United Kingdom

airTEXT for London

Online forecast: http://www.airtext.info

airTEXT is a free air quality information service for people who live or work in London. This development of the forecasting system was funded by ESA under the PROMOTE programme.

People who sign up to the airTEXT receive voice or text message alerts when air pollution is forecast to be moderat or higher. The service is aimed at people who suffer from heart and breathing problems, whose health or quality of life may be affected by air pollution. airTEXT started as a pilot scheme for the London Borough of Croydon and now covers Greater London and Slough.

airTEXT has been funded by under the programme and by grants from.

Wakefield

Online forecasts: http://www.cerc.co.uk/YourAir/Wakefield

CERC has been providing online forecasts of air pollution for Wakefield Metropolitan District Council on a daily basis for 3 years. The forecasts of nitrogen dioxide, particles, sulphur dioxide, ozone and total health index are displayed as colour contours superimposed on a zoomable background map.

Since the summer of 2008 alerts have been issued of pollution levels are predicted to be moderate or higher, or if the temperature is predicted to be defined as a heatwave or an amber or red cold weather alert. Alerts are issued to patients with COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease) registered by the Primary Care Trust.

Liverpool

Air quality forecasts and alerts have been developed for Liverpool City Council. Validation is ongoing with the system expected to go live in Spring 2010. Forecasts are shown as detailed colour contours overlaid on a zoomable background image that will be linked to www.liverpool.gov.uk.

Alerts will be sent to individuals registered by the City Council.