Air quality management areas

Air Quality Importance

If an area is identified as being at risk of exceeding an air quality objective, we must declare an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) and take action to reduce the air pollution in that area.

The Local Air Quality Management progress report for 2007 indicated that the Moor Street area of Ormskirk was likely to exceed the annual air quality objective for nitrogen dioxide.

To gather more information about the problem we began to carry out additional monitoring. A detailed assessment was completed in August 2009. This concluded that an area of Moor Street, and the adjoining top end of Stanley Street, exceeded the air quality objective for nitrogen dioxide and that an AQMA should be declared - this was done on 20 January 2010.

A further assessment was completed in February 2010. This concluded that road traffic is the main contributor to the overall pollutant levels in the AQMA.

A steering group was formed with the goal of improving air quality within this area. Representatives of residents within the locality of the AQMA, highways officers, local bus companies, staff from the Primary Care Trust, Council officers and Members were invited to attend this group.

Many possible options were discussed, with the most viable options being taken forward. This resulted in the drafting of an Air Quality Action Plan(AQAP). Part IV of The Environment Act 1995 places a legal requirement on the Council to develop an Air Quality Action Plan for this area, within 18 months of the initial declaration, and the final draft of this was approved by DEFRA in September 2011. This Action Plan identifies and assesses actions for improving the local air quality within the designated area. It proposes the implementation of those actions which are relevant to local air quality management and those potentially capable of bringing about improvements within the designated area, and the Borough as a whole.

Latest Assessment

In September 2012 an Air Quality Action Plan Progress Report was completed.

This report aims to demonstrate progress on the Air Quality Action Plan working alongside relevant stakeholders in order to raise awareness of air quality issues within the Borough.