Sustainable travel

What can I do to Improve Air Quality?

The choices we make in getting to and from Heathrow will have a significant impact on the quality of air at and around the airport. Here are some ideas of the actions which you can take to do your bit to reduce air pollution:

Walk, cycle or use public transport instead of taking the car. Try using free web-based journey planners such as at Transport Direct or Transport for London. These help you to plan your journeys efficiently and can be used for public transport or private car journeys around Britain. For further details of transport links to and from the airport visit the BAA Heathrow website
Why not try a month of using public transport wherever possible? You can free up time to read or work on route and will see your world from a new perspective! - If you do need to drive, think about the vehicle you are using and whether it is the most suitable whilst least polluting for your needs.
Adopt a smoother driving style which will reduce pollution emissions as well as wear and tear on your vehicle. If you're an LGV or HGV driver consider Safer and Fuel Efficient Driving as promoted at safed. This programme has demonstrated:
- Average fuel savings of 10.0%
- Average gear change reductions of 36.9%
- Reduced CO₂ emissions
- Increased defensive driving skills
Service your vehicle regularly - this can reduce pollution and make it cheaper to run. For example, under-inflated tyres are dangerous and can increase fuel consumption by up to 3%.