Air Quality
Indicator
Reductions in concentrations of nitrous oxide measured within
designated Air Quality Management Areas (AQMAs) in
Worcestershire.
Status
The nitrogen dioxide concentrations in the AQMA's remain above
the annual mean objective of 40ug/m3 and work is continuing to
implement or put in place action plans, the aim of which are to
reduce the concentrations to below the objective. The direction of
travel for this indicator is currently unknown, as this is the
first year of its inclusion within the State of the Environment
report.
Overview
All Local Authorities have a legal duty to review and assess air
quality against the national objectives, which include two for
nitrogen dioxide. Where exceedances are found local authorities
have to declare Air Quality Management Areas and produce Action
Plans, the aim of which is to reduce the level of that pollutant to
below the objective.
The only exceedances of the objectives in Worcestershire are for
annual mean of 40ug/m3 for nitrogen dioxide.
Wyre Forest, Bromsgrove, Wychavon District Councils and
Worcester City have declared AQMA's and have in place or are
preparing Action Plans.
The principle source of the nitrogen dioxide that is causing the
exceedances is emissions from road vehicles in busy and congested
streets. Other pollution sources, including commercial, industrial
and domestic sources, also make a contribution to background
pollution concentrations.
The data is either obtained by continuous real time analysers or
by using diffusion tubes that are exposed for a period of time
before being analysed.
Whilst AQMA's are declared for 'hot spots', the UK Sustainable
Development Air Quality Indicator Report Part B for rural areas
monitors the number of days when air pollution is classified as
'moderate' or 'higher'. In 2008 this showed an increase from 28
days in 2007, to 47. This is a national report and cannot be broken
down for just Worcestershire.
This increase in the number of days confirms that no one cause
fully explains why there may be exceedances in an area, and that
national conditions can also have a major influence.
Performance
Bromsgrove District Council
Bromsgrove District Council concluded that it was necessary to
declare an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) due to predicted
exceedences of the annual mean objective for NO2 at Lickey End, due
to road traffic emissions from the M42 (Junction 1).
In order to determine whether any further AQMAs need to be
designated in Bromsgrove, the District Council installed a
continuous monitor at Redditch Road, Buntsford Hill in March 2008
for a six-month period. The results of this monitoring are being
considered within the Detailed Assessment 2009, currently underway.
The Detailed Assessment is also assessing Kidderminster Road,
Hagley and a number of areas in Bromsgrove town centre, notably
Worcester Road, where measured exceedences were identified in the
Council's air quality annual progress report 2008.
Wyre Forest District Council
Taking into account slight variations each year, there has been
no change in Bewdley, as it still exceeds the NO2 annual average
objective. Horsefair has got worse, as confirmed by the 2008
Progress report, and will also be confirmed by the 2009 USA. An
AQMA is being declared in Coventry Street, Kidderminster, due to
continuous exceedance for the last 2 years for the NO2 annual
average (see chart below).
Wychavon District Council
An action plan for the Port Street AQMA is being developed. The
nitrogen dioxide concentration in 2008 at the worst location in the
AQMA was 41.8ug/m3 and the average excluding that site was 33ug/m3.
This is an increase on the 2007 concentration of 39.5ug/m3 and on
the 29.4ug/m3 average.
Worcester City Council
Worcester City have only recently declared three AQMA's and are
working to produce Action Plans.
Geographical Context
In general the nitrogen dioxide objectives are not being
exceeded in Worcestershire. The AQMA's are hot spots where there is
traffic congestion and it is often in narrow streets that have
buildings close to the kerbside forming canyons or roads with high
traffic flows.
Nationally, the majority of AQMA's being declared exceedances of
the annual mean are in similar locations.
The increase shown in UK Sustainable Development Air Quality
Indicator Part B highlights that whilst Local Authorities can take
action to reduce pollution in local hot spots, action is also
required on a national basis.
Actions
Action Plans have been (or are in the process of being) prepared
for each of the AQMAs within Worcestershire. Continued partnership
working is needed between District Councils, the County Council and
- for the trunk roads and motorways - the Highway Agency, to
implement the Action Plans. An example 'action' includes
partnership working to improve public transport facilities, thereby
helping to relieve congestion and reduce emissions.
Further information
Detailed information on the reviews and assessments of air
quality for each District in Worcestershire can be found on their
respective websites.
Information on current air quality can be found at www.airquality.co.uk/index.php.
The data applies to the West Midlands Region and not solely
Worcestershire.
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