AIR QUALITY AND THE ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT POLICY DISCOURSE IN OXFORD

The U.K. city of Oxford has a long history of promoting bus use in the city center. Despite this emphasis on public transportation, excessive nitrogen dioxide levels have been detected in the city center, reflecting the concentration of bus traffic. This paper uses the case of Oxford to appraise relevance of the Oxford policy approach for air quality management. It is concluded that similar problems may affect bus-centered transport strategies in other urban areas, and that the problem could be mitigated by a change of bus technology away from diesel vehicles. The findings also highlight the importance of policy assessment that is objective, thorough and vigorous to ensure sustainable transport strategies that address all transportation environmental policy goals