Research conducted by Polish scientists as part of the CoMobility project indicates that the rise in air pollution in cities is linked to school trips, especially in the mornings. “In Warsaw schools we studied, the level of nitrogen dioxide recommended by the WHO was exceeded on average for three months a year,” says Dr. Anna Nicińska, project manager from the UW. Scientists believe that changing the habits of children and parents could improve the situation, but it is difficult to convince those concerned with just appeals.
“The air quality in Poland and in Warsaw is not good. We always occupy the unenviable highest places in the pollution rankings in the European Union. The latest UN report states that pollution is a major risk factor for cancer in Poland,” says Dr. Anna Nicińska, CoMobility project manager at the UW, an expert from the Faculty of Economic Sciences and the Digital Economy Lab at the University of Warsaw.
Poland is one of the countries with a high degree of air pollution with substances harmful to health. The European Environmental Agency (EEA) indicates that about 40% of the 50 most polluted cities in Europe are located in our country. EU data shows that road transport was the main source of nitrogen oxides in 2020, responsible for 37% of emissions.
“Few people realize that they contribute to this problem. I think this is probably the most important conclusion from this study, although it may not be very surprising, at least for sociologists, that really the responsibility lies on our side, on the side of all of those who get in the car in the morning and think: Okay, maybe I’ll go by bus tomorrow, but today I overslept a little bit,” says prof. Dr. Anna Giza-Poleszczuk, Dean of the Faculty of Sociology at the University of Warsaw. “In Warsaw, of course, we still have to deal with individual home heating, especially in suburban districts like Wawer. However, it turns out that cars have a majority share in the problem we face, also because heating is a seasonal issue, while cars drive all year round.”
The study conducted as part of the CoMobility project shows that taking children to school has a significant impact on the level of pollution in cities.
“This is particularly related to maneuvering, starting the engine, the so-called cold start, but also not turning off the engine during standstill. These are behaviors of parents in front of the school that emit a much higher level of pollution than a car that just passes by the school,” explains Dr. Anna Nicińska.
Almost half of parents do not turn off the engine during the morning stop at school. High traffic causes congestion, especially on smaller streets near schools. Depending on the institution, traffic jams accounted for 10 to even 60% of excess nitrogen dioxide. In all three schools studied in Warsaw, NO2 levels were significantly elevated during morning and afternoon peaks. Researchers indicate that this is closely related to emissions associated with road traffic – higher concentrations were noted near the entrances to schools compared to school courtyards.
“In the schools we studied, the level of nitrogen dioxide recommended by WHO was exceeded on average for 80 days a year. That’s almost three months,” says the UW expert.
Children are more exposed to pollution than adults. The report “The way to school and air quality” by Dr. Wojciech Szymalski prepared for the Polish Ecological Club indicates that children inhale more exhaust fumes than adults, they have a significantly larger respiratory activity compared to adults in relation to body mass, and their immune system is not yet fully developed – that’s why they react much more to the action of toxic and irritating substances.
As the CoMobility research shows, even persuading parents not to drive children by car may not improve air quality. This was shown by simulations of conditions where parents cannot get to school with the child.
“We checked what would happen if the traffic in front of the schools was either slowed down or completely limited. It turned out that for every 100 parent cars, 80 other cars would enter this place because there would be greater road capacity. Secondly, as a result of closing the streets in front of the school, traffic paradoxically increases, because people have to circulate, there is more congestion on the streets, hence the emission of pollution is higher. In some schools, even as a result of closing the street, the air quality deteriorated,” says Dr. Anna Nicińska.
The discussed research also shows that the introduction of an integrated transport-environmental model and co-creating transport solutions with the local community can bring the best results.
“It is very difficult to persuade someone to change habits, by appealing to their enlightened reason and saying, ‘you are contributing to poisoning the air’. The truth is that we may deeply know it, but when it comes to reality, our convenience takes over, and improving behavior can be postponed,” says Prof. dr hab. Anna Giza-Poleszczuk. “Therefore, such methods of informing, appealing to reason are ineffective, it is much more effective to involve people in mapping, diagnosing the problem and working out the solution. The person believes in what he has come to himself. It is more convincing when I measure air pollution myself than when someone gives it to me from his expert heights. So behavior change is only possible when people feel they are co-authors of the solutions.”
The study “Do we love and choose cars?” conducted as part of the CoMobility project shows that in Warsaw, although the majority of residents choose public transport (39%) for their daily trips, one in three (32%) chooses a car. More than 40% of parents driving a child by car, start the car especially for this purpose. Younger children, grades 1-3, are more often driven. The car is chosen primarily to shorten the travel time to schools, which are “too far” for a walk (77%), or due to weather conditions.
“The way of moving shapes certain attitudes and habits in children, who are then accustomed to it as an obvious means of transport. Many high school students in Warsaw commute to school by car, while the public transport network in Warsaw is of quite good quality,” explains Dr. Anna Nicińska.
Almost half of parents (48%) believe that traffic around their child’s school is dangerous, and among those driving children by car, this percentage increases to 62%. Over 70% of parents believe that children should not commute to school by car. More than half of the people who drive by car also agree. On the other hand, parents’ fears related to public transport are very significant when choosing a car.
“These are fears about fellow passengers, we don’t trust strangers, especially when it comes to the safety of our children. It’s about physical safety in transport, e.g. that the child may fall during sudden braking. Parents, especially those who do not use public transport, had such a feeling that it is unpunctual and dirty,” lists the CoMobility project expert. “Many people do not know that children going to Warsaw primary schools have free city transport, based on their ID card. Positive experiences with public transport are important, but also certain restrictions and discouragement of cars: paid parking zones, clean transport zones. Another thing is cycling infrastructure, which is still quite fragmented.”
Currently, almost half of students, regardless of age, walk to school, and every fourth child comes by bike or scooter. Ecologically, children who have the shortest distance to school (within 10-15 min) go to school the most often.
The CoMobility project team included, among others, scientists from three universities in Warsaw (UW, PW, and SGH), as well as physicists and anthropologists from Norway (NILU and FNI). The study concerned the situation in three Warsaw schools – at Kruczkowski Street in Powiśle, at Trocka Street in Targówek, and at Kajka Street in Wawer.
