Consolidation of Sandwell MBC's Air Quality Action Plan

Sandwell M.B.C. have completed their draft air quality action plan and are now collating the responses received, however additional comments on the plan are welcome.  

There are several areas in Sandwell where air quality does not meet the government targets and actions are proposed to improve it in these locations. The issue of air quality goes beyond the boundaries of the areas identified and Sandwell M.B.C. aims to implement a range of solutions that not only address direct emissions but also seek to influence behavioural change.

The full technical action plan can be found here: Draft Air Quality Action Plan 2007 (DAQAP). A leaflet and summary document can be found here: DAQAP Leaflet, DAQAP Summary Document both are free of charge on request.

Cllr Mahboob Hussain endorsed the campaign saying “The quality of the air we breathe is fundamental to every day life. This opportunity gives all residents and interested parties a chance to participate in the process of improving the quality of our lives and getting a better understanding of air pollution issues.”

Any additional opinions or suggestions on the draft plan should be submitted to the air quality team, phone 0845 359 7506, email aqippc@sandwell.gov.uk or write to Environmental Health & Trading Standards, Environment House, Lombard Street, West Bromwich, West Midlands B70 8RU.

Air Quality Progress Report 2008

This report demonstrates the progress made to date in achieving the national air quality objectives and contains the most up to date monitoring data.  The report is available to view here: Progress Report June 2008

West Midlands Air Quality Website

Sandwell MBC have teamed up with the other six other West Midlands Local Authorities to launch www.wmair.org which provides air quality information from across the West Midlands.

The website allows people to:

• Check where, what and how air pollution is measured
• View and download current and historical air pollution levels from over 30 sites across the region
• Read about sources and health implications of certain air pollutants

Legislative Background

Part IV of the Environment Act 1995 requires Local Authorities to regularly review and assess air quality within their area. This must take into account Government Guidance and the statutory Air Quality Objectives contained in the National Air Quality Strategy. This strategy contains specific concentration targets for seven pollutants, with compliance dates between 2004 and 2010. All seven objectives are based upon their effect on health.

Should the review and assessment process identify areas where levels are likely to exceed the national air quality objectives the Authority must declare an air quality management area (AQMA). An action plan must then be prepared showing how the Authority intends to improve air quality in these areas.

First Review and Assessment

Sandwell’s first review identified six areas that are likely to exceed the annual mean nitrogen dioxide (NO₂) objective and as a result the following six AQMAs were declared in August 2002:

• The area in and around A34 Birmingham Road, Oldbury
• The area to the North of junction 8 on the M6, Yew Tree
• The area to the North-West of junction 7 on the M6, Great Barr
• The area to the South of junction 8 on the M6, Great Barr
• The area to the South-East of junction 7 on the M6, Great Barr
• The area to the South-West of junction 7 on the M6, Great Barr

Details of this review are contained in the 1st Round: Stage 3 Assessment 2000 and the 1st Round: Consolidated report 2002.

Sandwell carried out a further review and assessment of the air quality in the designated AQMAs. This assessment, known as a 1st Round: Stage 4 Assessment, concluded that the area of exceedance extends beyond the AQMA boundary in the Oldbury, Great Barr North West and Great Barr South East AQMAs. Traffic was identified as the main contributor to the nitrogen oxide emissions in all six Air Quality Management Areas.

Second Review and Assessment

In July 2003 Sandwell MBC completed the initial stage of their second air quality review and assessment, known as the 2nd Round: Updating and Screening Assessment 2003. This report concluded that a detailed assessment was required for the following issues:

• For nitrogen dioxide, nineteen roads and road junctions at various locations needed to be assessed further to establish whether the annual mean objective is likely to be exceeded
• For sulphur dioxide further assessment was required in areas close to Bescot Railway sidings
• For lead, areas adjacent to an industrial site required further investigation

The 2nd Round: Detailed Assessment 2005 concluded that there is not likely to be any exceedance of the sulphur dioxide or lead objectives but there are nine additional areas that are likely to exceed the 2005 air quality objective for the annual mean NO₂. The additional areas identified are:

• Oldbury Road / Birmingham Road, Blackheath
• High Street / Powke Lane, Blackheath
• Dudley Road East, Oldbury
• Dudley Road East / Roway Lane, Oldbury
• Bearwood Road, Smethwick
• Bearwood Road / Three Shires Road, Bearwood
• Hagley Road West / Bearwood Road, Smethwick
• Newton Road / Birmingham Road, Great Barr
• M5 J1 to J2, West Bromwich

There were also seven locations where NO₂ levels were close to the objective so further monitoring will need to be carried out to clarify that the objective is not likely to be exceeded. These areas are:

• Trinity Way / Kenrick Way, West Bromwich
• All Saints Way / Expressway, West Bromwich
• All Saints Way / Newton Road, West Bromwich
• Bromford Road, West Bromwich
• Oldbury Ringway / Churchbridge, Oldbury
• Leabrook Road / Toll End Road, Tipton
• Sedgley Road East / Dudley Port, Tipton

As a result of the above conclusions and in accordance with the Council’s statutory obligations Sandwell MBC has now declared an AQMA in respect of NO₂ annual mean objective to cover all the additional areas of likely exceedance detailed above.

Sandwell MBC recommended that the existing six AQMAs are replaced with one AQMA covering the whole borough. This recommendation was reported to full council and approved on 8th March 2005.

Why was the whole borough AQMA boundary recommended?

The boundary of an AQMA must include all areas of likely exceedance as a minimum but beyond this there are no specific rules in determining the boundary. They can only include the predicted area of exceedance or cover a wider area based on natural boundaries such as roads or political boundaries such as electoral wards.

In making the whole borough declaration the AQMA covers a wider area than that predicted to exceed the objective. It avoids an artificially precise boundary and reflects the fact that the air quality action plan will need to cover a wider area. By setting a wide boundary we can ensure the widest possible emphasis is given to this issue whilst not discriminating against individual properties within the borough. A copy of the order designating the entire borough an AQMA is available to view here: 2nd Round: Copy of the order designating Sandwell an air quality management area 2005.

What does the declaration of an AQMA mean?

Once an air quality management area has been declared it is necessary to complete a Further Assessment in order to determine whether or not the declaration was justified. In this report, additional monitoring data was collated and used to re-evaluate the evidence for exceedances. This assessment has concluded that there are thirteen areas of exceedance where the Council will need to consider actions to reduce nitrogen dioxide levels.

This report is available to download here: 2nd Round: Further Assessment 2006
The sources of air pollution in each of these areas and the reduction in nitrogen dioxide required to meet the objective are included within the draft action plan which was completed in June 2007.

The declaration of an AQMA means that the Council is required to draw up an action plan proposing measures to be put in place to reduce levels of NO₂.

Third Review and Assessment

In May 2006 Sandwell MBC completed the initial stage of the third round of review and assessment: Updating and Screening Assessment 2006.  In this report two junctions were identified where there was potential risk that the NO₂ annual mean objective would be exceeded.  As these potential exceedances would not result in additional AQMA declarations DEFRA deemed that it would not be necessary to complete a Detailed Assessment.  Consequently a progress report was completed, this report is available to view here: Progress Report 2007.       

Consultation on the draft air quality action plan is ongoing. The plan identifies ways in which we can try to reduce concentrations of nitrogen dioxide with the aim of protecting health. The plan contains actions that target specific problem areas and a number of actions that can influence pollutant concentrations across the borough.

Any additional views and opinions on the draft plan are welcomed.

• The report is available to view here: Draft Air Quality Action Plan 2007.

Comments

If you wish to contribute any opinions or suggestions please contact the air quality team at:

Environmental Health & Trading Standards
Environment House
Lombard Street
West Bromwich
West Midlands
B70 8RU
Tel: 0845 359 7506
Fax: 0121 569 6599
Email: aqippc@sandwell.gov.uk
Opening Hours: Monday - Thursday 9.00am - 5.30pm, Friday 9.00am - 5.00pm