London authorities have to take account of the Mayor’s Air quality strategy and must consult with the mayor as well as the Secretary of State to review and assess the level of air quality. This involves air quality management area designations and action plans.
The whole borough was declared an AQMA for NO2 in March 06, we are currently in the process of declaring a PM10 AQMA for the M4 and A4.
What is an AQMA?
An Air Quality Management Area is an area where one or more of the air quality objectives are not expected to be met, unless action is taken to improve air quality.
As air quality improves it may be possible to reduce the size of an air quality management area.
Why does Hounslow need to declare an AQMA?
The council has a legal duty under the Environment Act, 1995 to designate an AQMA where air pollution levels are expected to breach the air quality objectives. The objectives are only required to be met where there are people exposed over the relevant averaging period of the objective.
In Hounlsow, nitrogen dioxide concentrations exceeded the objectives in 2005 at various relevant locations.
What are the next stages in the Local Authority Review and Assessment process?
Hounslow have completed Stages 1 - 4 in the first round of the Review and Assessment process. The next step is to produce an Action Plan. This is currently being prepared. In the second round of the review and assessment process, the first step is an updating and screening assessment, which is to be undertaken by all local authorities.
The Updating and Screening Assessment will cover new monitoring data and any new sources or significant changes to existing sources, either locally or in neighbouring authorities. Where the Updating and Screening Assessment has identified a risk that an air quality objective will be exceeded at a location with relevant public exposure, the authority will be required to undertake a Detailed Assessment.
On what basis should an AQMA be revoked or amended?
There is the potential that the Review and Assessment process may result in the need for an existing AQMA to be amended or revoked as in the case of Hounslow. The process for amending or revoking an AQMA is similar to that for declaring an AMQA in the first instance. The authority will therefore need to be able to demonstrate the same degree of confidence in its decision to revoke or amend an AQMA, as was provided in the original declaration.
AQMAs in Hounslow
London authorities have to take account of the Mayor?s Air quality strategy when carrying out their air quality management duties. London authorities must consult with the mayor as well as the Secretary of State with regard to their review and assessments of air quality and on their air quality management area designations and action plans.
The Stage 3 Review and Assessment Report recommended that four Air Quality Management Areas (AQMA) were declared for nitrogen dioxide in the borough as concentrations were predicted to exceed the objectives. These were:
AQMA 1 - Heston and Cranford
AQMA 2 - Brentford and Chiswick
AQMA 3 - The Spring Grove / Hounslow Central corridor
AQMA 4 - The North Feltham AQ corridor
However, further modelling and the results of recent monitoring have showed that a larger area of the borough needed to be declared an AQMA. The whole borough was declared an AQMA in March 2006.
Where can I get further information from?
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