Opposition councillors say air quality area must stay

Liberal Democrat councillors are urging the district council not to abandon Stratford’s Air Quality Management Area (AQMA), despite average yearly air pollution levels remaining low.

A council report into air quality has recommended that the authority should end Stratford’s AQMA, which compels the authority to come up with an action plan to reduce air pollution.

The report shows that the average yearly level of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) in all parts of Stratford’s AQMA last year was below 40µg/m, the national air quality objective.

However Cllr Peter Moorse, leader of the Liberal Democrat Group, says that although average yearly NO2 levels are below 40µg/m, the monthly averages show that this level was exceeded in a number of areas at different times of the year.

Areas such as Tiddington Road, Grove Road, Greenhill Street, Guild Street and Wood Street all recorded monthly averages of NO2 exceeding 40µg/m, during certain times of the year.

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