Council adopts new air quality management areas

Following detailed analysis and consultation with local people, Sevenoaks District Council has declared five new Air Quality Management Areas.

Sevenoaks, along with most other councils, has a duty to regularly assess air quality within its area and identify any ‘hot spots’ where air pollution may exceed one or more targets set by the Government.

If an area is likely to exceed a pollution target, the Council must designate it as an ‘Air Quality Management Area’, or AQMA and draw up plans to improve the air within it.

After a detailed review in 2005 that found NO2 (Nitrogen dioxide) exceeding Government targets, and public consultation with residents and businesses in the affected areas in June and July 2006, the following areas have been declared AQMAs:

- High Street, Sevenoaks
- High Street, Seal
- Bat & Ball (junction with the A25 and the A225), Sevenoaks
- Swanley town centre including the High Street, London Road (east) and Bartholomew Way
- High Street, London Road, Market Square and Vicarage Hill in Westerham

In addition, two existing areas have been marginally extended, one covering an additional 33 properties in Button Street, Swanley.

Now that the five locations have been declared AQMAs, the Council will draw up and implement an Action Plan by March 2008 to improve air quality within them.

The new areas join the five existing AQMAs at locations near to the M20, M25, M26, A20(T) and around the A25/A224 junction at Riverhead AQMAs. Detailed studies found one common pollutant, NO2 (Nitrogen dioxide) that exceeded Government targets. Another pollutant called PM10 (particulate matter) was also found to be above the Government's targets at one location on the M25. These pollutants are caused by motor vehicle use.

Details of the reviews can be viewed on the Council's website www.sevenoaks.gov.uk/airquality

Cllr Keith Loney, the Council's Cabinet member with responsibility for air quality, says: "Whilst motor vehicles have given us great freedom, they come at a cost, that of polluting the air that we breathe. Over the coming months we will develop plans with our partners that will encourage the travelling public to use their cars less and instead to walk, cycle, car share or use public transport."

The new AQMAs were approved at last night's meeting of the Cabinet on Thursday 31 August.

Ends

Press release issued: September 1 2006