Agenda item

The council has identified part of Main Street, Fulford as having air quality that is below acceptable levels. Representatives from the Environmental Protection Unit will be present to discuss this and will be seeking feedback on their proposals to address the situation.

Andy Gillah, Principal Environmental Protection Officer, explained about the proposed Air Quality Management Area in Main Street, Fulford. Some of the points made were:

4.1       Air quality is important because of the effect that it can have on people’s health. There are government objectives that indicate a minimum standard of acceptable air quality and it is an important part of the council’s transport policy for the city.

4.2       Where the national air quality objectives are unlikely to be met, an Air Quality Management Area must be declared. This will then be followed by an Air Quality Action Plan within 12-18 months.

4.3       Fulford Road sees approximately 20,000 vehicles per day. The resulting Nitrogen Dioxide output has seen the road breach these national objectives.

4.4       There is already an Air Quality Management Area in York around the inner ring road. One of the three proposed options for the Fulford Road AQMA would see it extend to, and join with, this existing AQMA.

4.5       The area of concern in Fulford holds 33 properties; approximately 83 individuals.

4.6       For more information, people can contact the Environmental Protection Unit on: (01904) 551555, email: environmental.protection@york.gov.uk or visit: http://www.jorair.co.uk

The following questions and comments were made:

Q         Traffic lights around gyratory have been changed in the last 2-3 years. Traffic is held up as a result.

A         The existing AQMA around the inner ring road has perhaps caused this. By holding traffic at this end, it will move more freely at the Gillygate end.

Q            Children will travel up and down this road twice a day and nursery-age children perhaps six times a day. The whole area is affected and so option 3 is the logical choice.

Q         As an alternative, perhaps we should look at utilising the river to get into York? People could park at the ring road and be ferried into the city.

A         This can be raised at the action plan stage.

Q         What will go into the action plan?

A         This will be considered at a later stage.

Q         Is there a time limit for the action plan?

A         Has to be produced within 12-18 months of the Air Quality Management Area being declared.

Q         What changes were made as part of the Gillygate AQMA?

A         A holistic approach was taken as the AQMA covered such a large area. In the short term it has involved encouraging alternative modes of transport, among other things.

Q         Why isn’t the majority of air pollution always produced at rush hours – as would be expected?

A         Two reasons. First, Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) can take a while to form, so there is a time delay. Second, the meteorological conditions of the day will affect how it forms. There are short-term levels of air pollution and long-term also. The short-term air quality is not as important as the long-term air quality.

Q         Are there figures available?

A         Yes – on the Jorair website: http://www.jorair.co.uk

Q         Will further analysis identify which kinds of vehicles are responsible for producing most of the pollution?

A         Yes. Further study will look at this. Also, will look at origins and destinations to see if these are journeys that people need to be making along the road. Perhaps there is an issue with signage or education.