Lancaster Air Quality Management Area (AQMA)

Overview

The National Air Quality Strategy for England and Wales has set health-related air quality objectives for eight air pollutants. These objectives have various averaging times and may apply at different locations. For example the annual average objective for the pollutant Nitrogen Dioxide is a concentration in air of 40 microgrammes per cubic metre and this applies only to residential properties.

For seven air pollutants, local authorities must periodically review and assess local air quality to identify any locations where air quality objectives are unlikely to be achieved. An air quality management area (AQMA) must be declared wherever the objectives are unlikely to be achieved by the dates they come into force.

In central Lancaster an Air Quality Management Area has been declared (details below) due primarily to exhaust emissions from road traffic.

 

Last updated: 07 July 2026