Agenda item

This report summarises the response to the pre decision call-in of York’s third Air Quality Action Plan (AQAP3) and consideration by the Economic Development and Transport Policy and Scrutiny Committee (EDAT) on 18 November 2015. The report asks the Executive Member to formally adopt the amended AQAP3, as a result of the consultation process,together with some further revisions requested by EDAT.

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.

The Executive Member considered a report which advised of York’s Third Air Quality Action Plan which had been considered by the Economic Development and Transport Policy and Scrutiny Committee (EDAT) following a pre-decision call in.

Following the EDAT meeting, having listened to comments and concerns the Executive Member had chosen to defer his Decision Session to allow further  time for the suggestions made at EDAT to be considered and suggested improvements made. The report before the Executive Member at this meeting was the result of that process.

Paragraphs 3 to 26 of the Officers report summarised the issues raised at the EDAT meeting.

The Executive Member considered the suggested revisions as outlined as Option 2 at paragraph 28 of the report and accepted the revisions with a number of changes. The final revisions were as follows:

I.      To produce a further report outlining the resources and procedure required to adopt powers under The Road Traffic (Vehicle Emissions) (Fixed Penalty)(England) Regulations 2002 to allow enforcement against idling buses (and other vehicles) in the event that other measures are unsuccessful. The Executive Member also requested that Officers look into the legal aspects and training issues surrounding the Council’s Enforcement Officer’s being able to manage idling, including current workload and a contact telephone for reporting idling vehicles.

II.     To recommend the adoption of Eco Stars (or a similar scheme) to the Executive by further report to be a requirement in all council contracts. The Executive Member also requested that as a minimum, Officers review vehicle leasing and procurement ahead of any report to Executive and further work to identify additional funding for such a scheme or development of a scheme within existing resources. Officers to work with the council’s partners and contractors to adopt a joint approach to reduce emissions.

III.   To commission a business plan for a freight transhipment / consolidation centre. The Executive Member recommended to Executive the development and facilitation of a business plan, as included in Local Transport Plan 3 and to work with the BID on this.

IV.  To report progress on meeting the air quality objectives and implementing the measures within AQAP3 via an “Annual Status Report” to the executive member and scrutiny committee on an annual basis. The Executive Member also recommended a regular report on trends back to the Executive Member for Environment Decision Session and for Officers to look into publishing information on the website to enable the public to see statistics and in a format which is understandable to the intended audience. The information is to include progress against the air quality objectives, delivery of measures within AQAP3 and delivery and use of electric vehicle charging points.

V.    Following further consultation with bus operators and others, to produce a report detailing the proposals for implementing a Clean Air Zone, including an economic impact test, details of funding and impact on the environment and health. The Executive Member recommended a report to Executive in line with the Park & Ride contract process.

VI.  Green Infrastructure to be included in the Annual Status Report to the Executive Member.

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, as above) 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.