Contact:
  • Environmental Monitoring
  • Address:
    9-10 Bath Street, Bath, BA1 1SN
  • E-mail:
    environmental_monitoring@bathnes.gov.uk
  • Telephone:
    01225 477557
  • Fax:
    01225 477596
  • Minicom:
    n/a
  • Page Updated:
    19/07/2008
  • Author:
    Nicola Courthold
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The Air Quality Management Resource Centre - University of the West of England
Department of Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA)
The Air Quality Archive

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Air Quality Action Plan

Traffic
Park and Ride Bus
Traffic

 

 

Having reviewed the plans, policies and programmes underway that will impact on traffic travelling along the A4 London Road, the Air Quality Action Plan sets out specific measures to improve air quality along London Road / Bathwick Street, and also more general measures to improve air quality and increase public awareness over the Bath and North East Somerset area.

Introduction to Air Quality

Air quality in Bath and North East Somerset is important because it affects everyone who lives and works in the area.  The Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has highlighted the significance of air quality by including it as one of fifteen ‘headline’ indicators designed to measure quality of life.

Part IV of the Environment Act 1995 laid the foundation for a nationwide system of Local Air Quality Management. This requires local authorities to review air quality at present and in the future, and assess whether air quality objectives are likely to be met. If objectives are not expected to be achieved in any area, the authority will have to designate that area an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA).

The process of review and assessment is laid out in the National Air Quality Strategy 2000.  It consists of a three stage process.  Following the stage 3 assessment against health based objectives The Council declared an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) for nitrogen dioxide (NO2) along the A4 London Road.  As a consequence of the designation a draft action plan has been drawn up, setting out what will be done to improve air quality within the AQMA, including a timetable for implementation of each action.  This leaflet summarises the draft action plan and provides a response form on which any comments or further suggestions can be made.

Review and Assessment of Air Quality in Bath and North East Somerset

The review and assessment has been undertaken using both modelling and monitoring of pollutant concentrations.  Only particulate matter (PM10) and nitrogen dioxide (NO2) were considered at Stage 3.  All other pollutants were eliminated at Stage 1 of the review and assessment as they were unlikely to exceed the air quality objectives which have been set.

The results of the review and assessment showed that an area along the London Road was predicted to exceed the air quality objectives for nitrogen dioxide.  As this area includes public exposure an AQMA was declared.  Following a consultation process the actual extent of the area was agreed. 

Subsequent further assessment showed that the highest concentrations are at Anglo Terrace, at the Western end of the London Road.  As a result of this assessment it was recommended that the AQMA should be widened from its original 7m extent to 70m from the centre of the road, along London Road from London Street to Hanover Place, and 20m from the centre of the road from Hanover Place to the Batheaston Roundabout.