East Midlands Railway (EMR) has reported significant improvements in air quality at Sheffield station following a targeted ventilation upgrade. The project, delivered in collaboration with Colt Construction Ltd, is part of EMR’s broader environmental strategy, known as Getting There Greener.
Discreet roof vents were installed above Sheffield station’s taxi rank, enhancing airflow and effectively dispersing harmful nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) emissions generated by idling vehicles. The upgrades resulted in a measurable 35% reduction in NO₂ levels, as indicated by monitoring before and after the project.
This initiative supports Sheffield City Council’s wider Clean Air Zone measures and aligns with EMR’s established no-idling policy for taxis at the station, addressing an area historically known for poor air quality.
Philippa Cresswell, Customer Experience Director at EMR, highlighted the success of the project, stating: “We all want cleaner, healthier spaces – especially in places like stations, where many people gather daily. These early results at Sheffield are encouraging and clearly demonstrate a positive impact.”
EMR will continue monitoring air quality at the site, with additional improvements expected as further measures from its Clean Air Improvement Plan are implemented.
