Air Quality Review and Assessment
Traffic congestion in Lancaster
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See details of our Air Quality Management Areas:
Local air quality can be harmful and problems of high air pollution are not confined to big cities. All district-level local authorities have a duty to periodically review and assess local air quality.
The National Air Quality Strategy has set targets for eight air pollutants to protect human health. Lancaster City Council is required to review local air quality for seven of these to assess whether the targets will be met. Where any air quality standard or objectives will not be achieved the local authority must designate an Air Quality Management Area.
Air pollution is a serious issue and the council has invested substantial time and money in addressing its responsibilities through a series of technical assessments. Three Air Quality Management Areas have been declared, one in central Lancaster, one in Carnforth and one in Galgate. This was required because we expect levels of the traffic exhaust pollutant Nitrogen Dioxide to exceed one of the Government’s mandatory air quality objectives. This will primarily concern residents living within the air quality management areas.
The Council has competed further assessment of air quality in the affected areas and is working on air quality action plans. At the same time, we will periodically review local air quality across the Lancaster district and maintain an air pollution monitoring network.
The Government department Defra has responded favourably to the Council’s current work and proposals. It has accepted the Council’s timescales, acknowledged the additional resources we have invested into air quality, and welcomed our thorough approach to the review and assessment process.
Our technical assessments are available to download.
See our selected links to comprehensive information resources
Public information bulletins
Telephone hotline 0800 556677
Ceefax page 417 or Teletext page 156