The Sussex Air Quality Conference was held at the University of Sussex on Thursday 9th October. It was a day filled with insightful discussions on all things air quality.
Experts from the worlds of academia, the NHS and Public Health provided insight into the issue of air pollution and provide examples of projects helping to combat the health effects.
Download the opening slides here.
Air Pollution and why we should care
Dr Mark Hayden – NHS
Mark is a paediatric cardiac intensivist by trade, but a clean air champion by nature.
The healthy virtuous cycle: Active travel reducing pollution
Prof Scarlett McNally – NHS, BSCS
Professor Scarlett McNally is a surgeon in Eastbourne. She was lead author for the Academy’s Exercise the miracle cure and work showing preparation for surgery can reduce complications by 50%. She has sat on dozens of health committees and had multiple roles during her career.
Air Pollution in the 21st Century and the health impacts
Gary Fuller – Imperial College London
Gary is an air pollution scientist at Imperial College London and one of three Clean Air Champions for UK Research and Innovation. His research interests are mainly in urban air pollution, how this is changing and how it affects our health. He was part of the team that ran the Sussex air monitoring network for nearly two decades.
In his champion role Gary brings together scientists across the Clean Air Programme and helps them to convey their evidence to policy-makers and wider stakeholders. Gary also writes on air pollution for the Guardian newspaper.
Air quality & climate change – taking effective action
Sarah Legge – EPIC
Sarah Legge led the Task Group on Air Quality and Climate Change Guidance for EPIC (Environmental Policy Implementation Community, part of the Institution of Environmental Sciences, previously Environmental Protection UK). She is an air quality specialist and Chartered Environmentalist, with a particular interest in the intersection of air quality, climate change and health. Sarah has previously worked at Arup, SLH Environmental, as Head of Air Quality at the Greater London Authority and supported the Healthy Air Coalition.
Rohit Chakraborty – UKHSA
Rohit is an air pollution researcher at the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA), based in Sheffield.
His work focuses on understanding the impact of air pollution on public health, using data-driven approaches to support evidence-based policy and interventions. With a background in environmental monitoring and urban air quality, Rohit collaborates across sectors to help build healthier, more resilient communities.
Sustainable Healthcare in Sussex
Jaqueline Gordon – Care Without Carbon SCFT
Jackie is an occupational therapist with many years’ experience working with children and young people in the community and acute hospitals. In 2023-4 she worked as a Clinical Fellow with Greener NHS and was based in Sussex.
She now works with Care without Carbon in Sussex supporting their drive to make healthcare better for patients and the planet and continues to work as an OT with children in East London.
Tackling non-exhaust emissions: investigating policy & technical interventions
Laura Dyett & Phoebe Stockton
Laura is a Senior Strategy and Policy Manager at Transport for London, the local government body responsible for most aspects of the transport system in Greater London. She has held a variety of roles in transport over 18 years including in highway improvement schemes, road safety, behaviour change and, since 2018, the creation of strategies and policies to deliver the Mayor of London’s transport and environment strategies including the Ultra Low Emission Zone. Her current role involves setting future strategy and developing policies to reduce emissions from road transport.
Phoebe Stockton is a Senior Policy and Programme Officer in the Air Quality Team at the Greater London Authority. With a background in environmental engineering and experience in air quality dispersion modelling assessments, she leads on key transport-related air quality policies in collaboration with Transport for London.
Air Quality Monitoring in Sussex
Dr Richard Maggs – Bureau Veritas
Richard is a senior manager in Bureau Veritas working in the field of air quality and wider sustainability services. He gained a PhD in air pollution impacts at Imperial College in 1996. He has been involved in the field of local air quality management since its inception in 1998 and works closely with UK government and devolved administrations regarding national compliance with air quality standards. He is Project Director the UK compliance network and an ex-officio member of the UK’s Air Quality Expert Group.
Traffic analysis, ANPR and vehicle emissions
Sam Rouse – Brighton & Hove City Council
Sam has postgraduate experience since 1997 as an environmental scientist (mostly air quality) in a variety of work settings including local government, environmental regulation, consultancy, industry, and academia. As the air quality specialist at Brighton & Hove City Council since 2008, Sam works across multiple directorates. He leads on grant bids and project delivery working with teams across the Sussex Air Quality Partnership. Following an award of MSc from the University of Manchester in 1996, Sam was a visiting lecturer at the University of Brighton for over ten years.
Sam is a keen cyclist and has cycled across six countries Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Luxembourg, France, England.
“Air-Mazing Journeys”
Clare Dowling – Sustrans (Walk Wheel Cycle Trust)
Through her role as Senior Project Manager at Sustrans, Clare has been working with Sussex Air since 2018, engaging with schools and communities across Sussex to raise awareness of air quality issues, look at small scale ways to reduce localised air pollution, and helping to reduce exposure to poor air quality, particularly the most vulnerable in our society.
ESCC Bus Service Improvement Plan
Craig Lamberton – East Sussex County Council
Craig is an energetic, innovative, and dynamic transport manager with a proven track record in managing a team. He has experience of effectively running several successful transport functions in high pressure environments and over 30 years of experience in transport with responsibility for the management of public transport across several local authorities.
West Sussex EV Network
Tom Heagerty – Connected Kerb
Tom Heagerty is an Account Manager at Connected Kerb, a leading charging infrastructure provider in the UK. Tom holds a degree in Joint Honours in BA Communications and Business Studies from the University of Liverpool and has previously worked as an Operations and Logistics Intern at Delta Capita, a Business Development Associate at KEMOSABE and as a Commercial Manager at Pluscharge and Franklin Energy.