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National policies on air pollution are expected to deliver a significant improvement in air quality throughout the country, while recognising there are things that can be done locally as well.
The Environment Act 1995 requires local authorities to periodically review and assess air quality in their areas to determine whether the National Air Quality Objectives will be met.
Review and Assessments
Local authorities are required to review local air quality on an annual basis. In depth Updating and Screening Assessments of air quality across the district must be carried out every 3 years. Annual Progress Reports are undertaken in the intervening years. Where the reviews determine that the objectives for the pollutants are unlikely to be met then a Detailed Assessment must be carried out. In Babergh we carried out an Updating and Screening Assessment of Air Quality in 2006, which can be downloaded from the link below. The latest Annual Progress Report can also be downloaded:
2006 Progress Report (May 2007) (PDF, 277kb)
Updating & Screening Assessment of Air Quality in the Babergh District, April 2006 (PDF, 472kb)
Detailed Assessment of Air Quality in Cross Street and Ballingdon, Sudbury
Detailed investigations into concentrations of nitrogen dioxide arising from vehicle exhaust emissions have been carried out in Sudbury on Cross Street, the northern end of Ballingdon Street and Church Street. The report concluded that the yearly average objective for nitrogen dioxide is likely to be exceeded at properties on Cross Street between the junction with Church Street and 5/89 Cross Street. The Council has a legal duty to designate the affected part of Cross Street as an Air Quality Management Area and to prepare an Action Plan to pursue a reduction in pollution levels. The report may be downloaded:
Detailed Assessment Report. Air Quality in Cross Street and Ballingdon Street, Sudbury, May 2008 (PDF,540kb) |