Air quality review and assessment
Real Time Analyser
The Environment Act (1995) requires all Local Authorities to Review and Assess the air quality in their area. In areas where the air quality objectives are not anticipated to be met, Councils are required to establish Air Quality Management Areas (AQMA).
Since 2000, in accordance with the air quality regulations we have been engaged in an on-going program of air quality modelling and monitoring throughout the District. The key pollutants we were required to assess were nitrogen dioxide, sulphur dioxide, benzene, 1-3 butadiene, lead, particles and carbon monoxide.
The nature of Aylesbury Vale being largely rural/suburban with little major industrial activity means that the key source of these pollutants is from road traffic.
Throughout the air quality review and assessment process, Aylesbury Vale DC has worked closely with AEA Technology. All of our conclusions and recommendations are based on real time monitoring and modelling undertaken by AEA Technology, following the procedures outlined in the national technical and policy guidance provided by Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).
During our first review and assessment undertaken in 2001 it was concluded that it was unlikely that there would be any exceedences of the air quality objectives.
We were required to undertake a second review and assessment in 2004. As a result of the experiences gained from the first round of assessments undertaken nationally, the technical guidance issued by Central Government and recommended modelling techniques were refined. In applying the new modelling techniques to the town centre areas, a potential exceedence of the nitrogen dioxide annual mean objective was identified. This was followed by automatic road side monitoring undertaken for a period of 9 months.
The results of the monitoring confirmed that the air quality objective for nitrogen dioxide was likely to be exceeded by the relevant date along a short stretch of Tring Road, Aylesbury, where there are properties on both sides of the road close to the kerb. Therefore, based on the technical and policy guidance it was necessary to declare an Air Quality Management Area in this location.
The results of the monitoring and our conclusion that an AQMA was necessary were endorsed by the DEFRA who regulate and implement the national air quality policy and strategy. Further details about this AQMA including a map showing it's boundary can be found on the Air Quality Management Areas page.
In April 2006 we completed our second updating and screening assessment which recommended progression to a detailed assessment for nitrogen dioxide. The detailed assessment was completed and submitted to DEFRA in April 2007 and recommended the declaration of two additional AQMAs in Aylesbury. Two further AQMAs were therefore declared (and endorsed by DEFRA) in July 2008; Friarage Road and Stoke Road. Details of all three AQMAs can be found on the Air Quality Management Areas page.
Our next updating and screening assessment was completed in April 2009. It recommended that Detailed Assessments be undertaken for 6 locations within the District. A further Air Quality Progress Report produced in April 2010 outlines our progress to date with the collection of data required for the Detailed Assessments.
All review and assessment process reports are available below for download.
Date Updated: 09/07/10
Recommended external websites
*N.B External links are selected and reviewed when the current page is published. However, the AVDC is not responsible for the content of external websites.
Bucks Air Quality website | http://www.bucksairquality.net/defaul... |