Breathe Easy in Oxford

As a major tourist location, Oxford attracts thousands of visitors each year to view its historic architecture. But these same visitors, who provide a substantial income for the city, inadvertently contribute to the effects of vehicle emissions on the health of local inhabitants and the very buildings they come to admire.

The major problem lies with diesel powered vehicles. Diesel engines emit harmful chemicals including Oxides of Nitrogen (NOx), PM10 particulates, Carbon Monoxide (CO) and Sulphur Dioxide (SO2) which all contribute to poor air quality in Oxford. You only have to be behind a diesel bus to see the problem!

The readily available alternative is liquefied petroleum gas - LPG or Autogas - which is demonstrably cleaner than diesel, emitting:

• 90 per cent or 30,000 times fewer particles
• 247 times less NOx
• 70 per cent less smog causing emissions

Particulates are smaller than a virus and enter the lungs causing inflammation, asthma and respiratory problems such as emphysema and chest pain. Some are also carcinogenic.

NOx damages and irritates lungs, causing bronchitis and pneumonia. NOx particles also play a major role in the atmospheric reactions that cause smog, low level ozone and acid rain.

Monuments, statues and buildings in Oxford show the visual signs of the long term corrosive effects of air pollution but more worrying are the health risks to the public:

• Children are up to 131 per cent more likely to suffer from respiratory disorders where traffic pollution levels are high.
• Air pollution has been linked to asthma in children
• City dwellers are dying younger because of air pollution with mortality rates increasing in almost direct proportion to pollution levels.

Calor Autogas - a good move for Oxford
By supporting companies like Guide Friday who are converting their whole tour bus fleet to Calor Autogas, air pollution in Oxford can be dramatically reduced allowing Oxford’s buildings, monuments, visitors and residents to enjoy a cleaner environment.

For more information on the benefits of Calor Autogas, call 0800 992200 or visit www.calor.co.uk

Contact - Clare Petty

For further information call Calor Autogas on 0800 992200