Air Quality

The U.K. Government published its strategic policy framework for air quality management in 1995 establishing national strategies and policies on air quality which culminated in the Environment Act, 1995. Under Part IV of the Act, the Secretary of State adopted a national air quality strategy, which is designed to provide a framework for air quality management and control. This provides new air quality standards and objectives to be achieved throughout the U.K.

The Act requires that all local authorities carry out a review and assessment process for each of the eight pollutants  mentioned in the strategy within their district. The aim is to identify those areas in the district, which may not meet the Government's air quality objectives at the end of 2005.

The council has carried out a number of reviews and assessments of air quality since 1995. The updated screening assessment carried out in 2006 identified two areas of the district where air quality may not meet the objectives set in the air quality standards. The areas identified where in the vicinity of the Princess Street bus exchange and in the area of the Christleton Road/Tarvin Road gyratory.

A detailed assessment of air quality was carried out in those areas and a link to the detailed assessment is attached. 

As a result of the detailed assessment the council established an Air Quality Management Area in the Christleton Road/Tarvin Road area in March 2008. Attached is a link to a map of  the Air Quality Management Area. 

Subsequent air quality monitoring undertaken in the vicinity of the bus exchange by developers ING indicated that concentrations of both PM10 and nitrogen dioxide were within the air quality objectives.

A subsequent review of air quality was undertaken in April 2008 and a link to that review is attached.

As a result of declaring an Air Quality Management Area the council is now in the process of producing an Air Quality Action Plan to attempt to improve air quality within the Air Quality Management Area.

• Executive 21/2/08 declared an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) in the Tarvin Road/Christleton Road area of the Boughton Gyratory with effect from 1/3/08.
• Council 28/2/08 approved the sealing of any documents necessary for giving effect to this Executive decision.
• On 6/3/08 the AQMA Order was sealed by the Solicitor to the Council as an Authorised Signatory.
  

Links

Local Air Quality Management document (363Kb)
Chester Air Model Study (2794Kb / 2.974Mb)
www.defra.gov.uk/environment/airquality/index.htm .