Portsmouth City Council is taking action to shift public perceptions around sustainable travel with the launch of the Air Quality Heroes campaign. By sharing the personal stories of a local resident and someone who works and travels in the city, the initiative aims to challenge assumptions about public transport, walking and cycling to show how small changes can benefit both individuals and the wider community.
Through short films, the campaign follows two local residents – one who regularly uses park and ride and another who combines bus travel with walking and cycling. Their experiences demonstrate the convenience, cost savings and health benefits of sustainable travel, as well as its crucial role in improving air quality across Portsmouth.
Poor air quality is the largest environmental risk to public health in the UK, with 91% of transport emissions coming from road vehicles1. In Portsmouth, as in many cities, road traffic is a major contributor to air pollution, releasing harmful particles and gases that affect everyone, especially children, older people and those with medical conditions. Exposure can lead to serious long-term health issues such as respiratory and cardiovascular diseases.
Cllr Candlish, Cabinet Member for Transport, said: “We launched this campaign to encourage people who live and work in Portsmouth to recognise how alternative travel options can positively impact the city’s air quality and, consequently, people’s health.
“Our participants have shown that walking, cycling, and using public transport can be convenient, cost-effective, and beneficial for wellbeing as well as helping create a cleaner, greener future for us all. We hope our heroes’ passion for alternative travel will inspire others to walk, cycle, and take the bus more often, even if it’s just swapping a few car journeys a week.”
Molly-Mae Copping is an advocate for Portsmouth Park and Ride and shares her story through one of the videos. She said: “I live in Bishop’s Waltham, which is quite remote, so I didn’t think there was an alternative to driving to work in Portsmouth. Then a colleague recommended the Portsmouth Park and Ride. I’m so glad I took their advice – it’s really convenient, good value, and I feel good knowing I’m doing my part to help improve air quality. Being part of this campaign has been a great experience, and I’m excited to show others how easy it can be to travel sustainably into the city.”
To watch the heroes’ videos and learn more about air quality in Portsmouth, as well as learn how easy it is to contribute to cleaner air, visit https://cleanerairportsmouth.co.uk/what-you-can-do/air-quality-heroes/