Plans are being considered to cover Britain’s motorways with tunnel-like structures with pollution-absorbing panels.
Highways England says it is looking into the possibility of building canopies over motorways that run past homes in an effort to protect residents from harmful emissions. Such structures have previously been tried out in the Netherlands and Highways England is working with Dutch authorities on the feasibility and effectiveness of the structures.
In its latest air quality strategy report, Highways England says: “We are also investigating if we can reduce the costs to construct a canopy, which is a tunnel-like structure designed to prevent vehicle emissions reaching our neighbours, to make this a viable solution.”
The move follows Highways England’s trial of a similar physical barrier back in 2015. The barrier stood at four meters high and covered a 100 metre stretch of the M62. The agency is now running tests on a material that can clean the air.
If the trial is successful, then the agency will consider implementing such barriers across its network of motorways and trunk roads.
Highways England has been given £100 million by the Government to improve air quality through to 2021 and the latest air quality strategy report outlines how the agency plan to spend that money.
As well as looking into the tunnel-like structures, the agency also aims to have an electric car charging point every 20 miles on 95 per cent of the road network.
