Decision details

Purpose of Report: To adopt York’s Third Air Quality Action Plan (AQAP3) following public consultation and amendments.

The Executive Member is asked to adopt the report and amendments.

Having formally received the views of the Economic Development and Transport Policy and Scrutiny Committee Pre Decision Call In Committee which had met immediately prior to his decision making session on 18 November, the Executive Member felt that more time was needed to respond to and address the implications associated with the comments made by scrutiny members. He agreed to receive a further report at a decision session to be held in December which would address those issues raised by scrutiny members. This meeting will take place at 4pm on Monday 14 December.

Resolved:           That the Executive Member agreed Option 2 and accepted the revisions to the Action Plan as recommended by Economic Development and Transport Policy and Scrutiny Committee (as amended by the Executive Member, see minutes) and as a result;

Formally adopted the amended AQAP3, as a result of the consultation process, as York’s Third Air Quality Action Plan.

Reason:                This option will ensure that York continues to have a robust, current and relevant AQAP based on a strong local emission evidence base. This will facilitate continuing delivery of the aims and objectives of the LES.  AQAP3 will deliver emission reduction and health improvement benefits throughout the city and by 2021 should deliver the national air quality objectives for NO₂ at most, if not all, locations in York. Adoption of AQAP3 will demonstrate to DEFRA that York is continuing to strive to improve air quality in the city and may reduce the possibility of substantial air quality fines in the future.  AQAP3 will ensure that York continues to attract low emission vehicles, technologies and associated jobs ahead of other local authorities and having a newly adopted LES based AQAP3 in place will strengthen York’s bid to become one of OLEV’s designated Ultra-Low Emission Cities.  If successful this bid will attract millions of pounds of investment in low emission vehicles and infrastructure to York from 2016 onwards.