Issue - meetings

To consider revoking the Totton Air Quality Management Area.

RESOLVED:

(a)         That the Totton Air Quality Management Area, declared on the 6 June 2005 in respect of the exceedance of the annual mean air quality objective for nitrogen dioxide, be revoked; and

(b)         That the air quality real time monitoring station in Junction Road, Totton be maintained and monitoring continue using the real time monitoring station and diffusion tubes in Totton, for the immediate future, to reassure the public that nitrogen dioxide concentrations in Totton do not significantly increase once the Air Quality Management Area has been revoked.

Cllr Harrison disclosed a non-pecuniary interest as a member of Totton and Eling Town Council which had been consulted on the proposed revocation.

The Air Quality Management Area in Totton had been declared in June 2005 to address the exceedance of the annual mean air quality standard for nitrogen dioxide in that area.  Following the declaration of the Air Quality Management Area an Action Plan had been developed, in conjunction with partners, to address the source of the pollution, which was mainly from vehicles, particularly when stopped at the railway crossing in the centre of the town.  The scope of the plan had been limited, because of the particular constraints associated with maintaining essential routes for pedestrians and vehicles.   Nonetheless, there had been no exceedances of the annual mean objective for nitrogen dioxide since the Action Plan was adopted in 2008.  In accordance with best practice published by Defra, the Air Quality Management Area should now therefore be revoked.

It was intended to maintain the air quality real time monitoring station in Junction Road Totton and for the use of diffusion tubes to continue for the immediate future in case standards deteriorated.

RESOLVED:

(a)         That the Totton Air Quality Management Area, declared on the 6 June 2005 in respect of the exceedance of the annual mean air quality objective for nitrogen dioxide, be revoked; and

(b)         That the air quality real time monitoring station in Junction Road, Totton be maintained and monitoring continue using the real time monitoring station and diffusion tubes in Totton, for the immediate future, to reassure the public that nitrogen dioxide concentrations in Totton do not significantly increase once the Air Quality Management Area has been revoked.