ABSTRACT
There is widespread concern about increases in the number of vehicles on the roads and how this may relate to public health. Increases in numbers of vehicles and emissions from road transport have been well documented (Commission of the European Communities, 1992; Quality of Urban Atmospheric Review Group, 1993). Recent articles published in the medical journals have expressed concern over increases in respiratory diseases and the association with air pollution (Dockery et al., 1993; Pope et al., 1995; Schwartz, 1993). A number of studies have found a relationship between traffic related indicators, for example, proximity to major roads, living near roads with high volumes of traffic, and health effects (Wieland et al., 1994; Murakami et al., 1990; Edwards et al., 1994; Wjst et al., 1993; Nitta et al., 1993). More recently the Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollution have produced a report to advise on the possible links between outdoor air pollution and asthma (Department of Health, 1995) and expert panels have been commissioned by the Department of the Environment (1995a, b, c) to recommend air quality standards for a number of pollutants, including benzene, carbon monoxide and particles.
