Pollution Control - Air

Each council has responsibility for measuring the quality of ambient air to ensure that it meets required standards.

 

 

 

We also deal with complaints regarding smoke nuisance, bonfires, odours, gas emissions etc.

Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council is proposing to declare an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) in the Abbey Green area of Nuneaton. This will cover parts of the B4114 route including Midland Road, Central Avenue, Corporation Street and at the Manor Court Road junction.

 

We are seeking the views of residents and businesses in the area. Council officers will  be available during the afternoon of Tuesday 14th July , 2 – 6pm and on the evening of Wednesday 15th July,  5 – 9pm at Hatters Space, Upper Abbey St. Nuneaton to listen to comments and answer any questions.

 

The Government has set Objectives for seven air pollutants as indicators of general air quality. These include benzene, lead, butadiene, carbon monoxide, nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide and fine particulates.  These Objectives have been put in place to protect people's health and the environment.

 

Local Authorities are required by law to review and assess air quality within their area in particular for these seven pollutants as part of a periodic process of monitoring, data collection and predictive computer modelling known as "review and assessment". If it is found that any of the National Air Quality Objectives are likely to be breached they must declare an Air Quality Management Area.

 

Air quality modelling techniques are used to predict trends in pollution levels by considering the effects of weather conditions, industrial emissions, traffic levels, vehicle types, etc. This is used to assess whether National Air Quality Objectives are likely to be exceeded.

 

One of the Objectives, for nitrogen dioxide, is being exceeded along parts of the B4114 route including Midland Road, Central Avenue, Corporation Street and at the Manor Court Road junction. The proposed AQMA shown on the map has been drawn to include every property that fronts onto the affected section of identified roads.

The Objective for nitrogen dioxide (NO2) is an annual average of 40 micrograms per cubic metre of air. Exceedance of this level is predicted to continue at a number of properties beyond 2010.

 

NO2 is a pollutant that is produced by combustion processes involving fossil fuels. Road transport is the main source of this pollutant and hence it is of particular concern to people living close to busy roads.  At sufficiently high levels it is linked with the risk of decreased lung function and increased risk of respiratory problems, particularly in vulnerable groups such as children, the sick and the elderly. It may also exacerbate conditions for asthma sufferers.

 

Our current monitoring of nitrogen dioxide levels in this area will continue. The number of monitoring sites and has been extended and improved to validate the concentrations estimated by the predictive modelling for both the roadside and at the façades of properties.

 

We are required to prepare an Action Plan that will develop and implement measures to ensure future compliance with that Objective. We will be consulting with Warwickshire County Council, the Highways Agency and other stakeholders to prepare the way for an Action Plan after the declaration has been made in the coming months of 2009.

 

View / Download Documents listed below or copies of the report are also available to view at the Reception, Town Hall, Coton Road, Nuneaton.

 

Any comments or questions should be directed to:

Alison Cannon
Environmental Health Services

Nuneaton and Bedworth Borough Council

Town Hall

Coton Road

Nuneaton

CV11 5AA

 

Tel: 024 7637 6405

Email: alison.cannon@nuneatonandbedworth.gov.uk