A European project will develop strategies to improve air quality in underground rail systems worldwide.
The greatest 21st century challenge to air quality in our cities is the pollution produced by road traffic. In contrast, underground rail systems provide an environmental urban lifeline, enabling large numbers of people to commute through the city efficiently and without contaminating the air in the streets above. However, the question arises: we know that city outdoor air is contaminated, but how clean is the air breathed underground? Does the traffic pollution reach down into the metro tunnels and stations? Does the movement of the trains themselves affect air quality in the tunnels and platforms?
