PART 1
(OPEN TO THE PUBLIC)	ITEM NO.	
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REPORT OF THE LEAD MEMBER FOR ENVIRONMENTAL SERVICES
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TO THE CABINET ON	:	10th April 2001
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TITLE		: 	Declaration of Air Quality Management Area
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RECOMMENDATIONS:	

That Cabinet approves the making of an Air Quality Management Area Order for the City of Salford.
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY:

The Greater Manchester Authorities have taken a co-ordinated approach to the review and assessment of air quality, which has resulted in a consistent methodology for declaring air quality management area.

The proposed air quality management area was consulted on from November 2000 to the end of January 2001.

This report seeks Cabinet approval for an Air Quality Management Order to be made in accordance with the Council’s duty under Section 83(1) of the Environment Act 1995.
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BACKGROUND DOCUMENTS: (available for public inspection)

Greater Manchester Air Quality Strategy
‘Clearing the air’ – consultation leaflet
3rd Stage Air Quality Review & Assessment for the City of Salford
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CONTACT OFFICER:	Joanne Miller		TEL NO:	793 2143
Gerard Stedman			793 2073
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WARDS TO WHICH REPORT RELATES

All Wards
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KEY COUNCIL POLICIES:

Regeneration Strategy, Environment Strategy, Economic Development
Local Transport Plan (LTP), Unitary Development Plans (UDP’s).
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DETAILS 
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INTRODUCTION

The government has set health-based standards for seven pollutants, namely; nitrogen dioxide (NO2), particulate matter (PM10), sulphur dioxide (SO2), carbon monoxide (CO), benzene (C6H6), 1,3-butadiene (C4H6) and lead (Pb). Local authorities are required under Part IV of the Environment Act 1995, to review and assess which air quality objectives are likely to be exceeded. Any areas that will not achieve the objectives must be declared Air Quality Management Area (AQMA).

The review and assessment of Salford’s air quality has been a 3-staged process, with each stage becoming progressively more complex. The 3rd Stage Review and Assessment was completed in December 2000 and submitted to the DETR. The DETR in their written response raised no objections to the methods used and the conclusions drawn from the assessment and supported the co-ordinated precautionary approach taken by the Greater Manchester Authorities.

CO-ORDINATED APPROACH TO REVIEW AND ASSESSMENT

The 10 Greater Manchester authorities and Warrington have worked together to carried out a detailed study of air quality in their areas using monitoring data and computer model predictions.  The results of the monitoring and modelling demonstrate that there is likely to be an exceedence of the nitrogen dioxide annual standard and the particulate daily standard across Greater Manchester adjacent to motorways and major roads.

Areas unlikely to meet the standards must be declared air quality management areas (AQMA’s).  The proposed AQMA’s have been defined based on an area at risk of exceeding the annual objective for nitrogen dioxide in 2005.

EXTENT OF THE PROPOSED AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT AREA

The criteria for the designation and defining the Air Quality Management Area has been agreed by the 10 Greater Manchester Authorities to ensure that a common approach is adopted.  

The pollutant that has the largest area of exceedance is nitrogen dioxide.  Therefore, it is this pollutant that has been selected to define the AQMA boundary, as it completely encompasses the particulate matter exceedance area. 

The Greater Manchester Authorities have agreed to take a precautionary approach to Air Quality, to take into account uncertainties in predicting air quality levels in the future.  This approach has been supported by the DETR, but may differ from other approaches adopted nationally.  The Greater Manchester Authorities have expressed concern with the DETR regarding the variation of approaches taken.

This means that only one AQMA needs to be declared in Salford. The boundary of the AQMA is shown on the map attached and is part of the Air Quality Management Area Order. 

CONSULTATION

The Act requires local authorities to consult on the findings of the review and assessment and the declaration of the proposed AQMA.  Regionally the ten Greater Manchester districts published a colour brochure and provided information on the Manchester Area Pollution Advisory Council (MAPAC), www.mapac.org.uk) as part of the consultation process.  This was officially launched by Hazel Blears, MP at the Lowry Centre on the 10 November 2000 and closed on 31 January 2001. 

The leaflets were distributed to a core number of groups, local and regional organisations and various agencies. These included doctors' surgeries, community groups, libraries, council buildings, Highways Agency, Environment Agency, Health Authority, Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace, business and commerce. 

SUMMARY RESULTS OF THE CONSULTATION

Results indicate that 75% of all respondents agree with the proposed AQMA.

The most popular measures to improve air quality were encouraging people to use public transport and reducing emissions from industry.

The least popular options were charging motorists to enter towns and charging firms who provide free parking.

IMPLICATIONS OF THE AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT AREA

Health – The Air Quality Objectives are health based standards, and working towards compliance with these objectives will help protect the health and quality of life of the residents of Salford.

Planning – Air quality is a material consideration in planning decisions, but is not intended to restrict further developments in AQMA’s, but use the planning system to mitigate the growth of air pollution by measures such as the use of Green Transport Plans and the location of developments near public transport.

Transport – The Local Transport Plan (LTP) will form a major part of the action plan, as road traffic is the predominant source of nitrogen dioxide and PM10 in the City of Salford. Therefore, officers from Environmental Services will be working very closely with colleagues in Development Services on this matter.

DECLARATION OF THE AIR QUALITY MANAGEMENT AREA

A copy of the proposed AQMA Order is attached to this report.  If the Order is approved the City of Salford seal will be affixed.

Subject to approval the Order will come into operation on 10th June 2001, that will allow, local advertising of the order. Copies of the order will be freely available to the public from Crompton House and on the Internet.

The order may be varied or revoked if at a later date the Air Quality Management Area needs altering or is no longer required. Once an AQMA has been declared the Authority has 12 months to produce an action plan stating how the air quality problem will be addressed.  It is proposed that the 10 Greater Manchester Authorities will work together to produce a joint action plan, that will be subject to consultation.

CONCLUSION

There has been a considerable amount of work over the last 4 years by Environmental Services Officers and their colleagues in the Greater Manchester Authorities and other partners to reach this point.  

The declaration of the AQMA is the start of considerably more work in the development of an action plan to work towards reducing the nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter levels.