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 originally declared an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) for nitrogen dioxide along the A4 London Road.

The Council is now drafting an Air Quality Action Plan for the Air Quality Management Area that it is obliged to submit to DEFRA by November 2009.  A consultation draft will be available in June, when the Council will be seeking comment on the measures contained in the Draft Air Quality Action Plan. 

Consultation

The consultation period will run from the beginning of July to the end of September.

Officers will engage with key stakeholders throughout the process and an informal public exhibition, attended by officers will take place in the Guildhall on:

• Tuesday 15th September 16:30 – 20:00
• Wednesday 16th September 16:30 - 20:00.

Comment and suggestion leaflets will be able available as part of the consultation process, either from the exhibition or by contacting the Environmental Monitoring Team on    01225 477557 or email environmental_monitoring@bathnes.gov.uk.