Air Quality ASR 2016
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Corby Borough Council - England 2016 Air Quality Annual Status Report (ASR) In fulfilment of Part IV of the Environment Act 1995 Local Air Quality Management May 2017 LAQM Annual Status Report 2016 Corby Borough Council - England Local Authority Amy Plank Officer Department Environmental Health Corby Borough Council Deene House Post Office Square Address Corby Northamptonshire NN17 1GD Telephone 01536464055 E-mail [email protected] Report Reference Version 05/17 number Date May 2017 LAQM Annual Status Report 2016 Corby Borough Council - England Executive Summary: Air Quality in Our Area Air Quality in Corby Borough Council Air pollution is associated with a number of adverse health impacts. It is recognised as a contributing factor in the onset of heart disease and cancer. Additionally, air pollution particularly affects the most vulnerable in society: children and older people, and those with heart and lung conditions. There is also often a strong correlation with equalities issues, because areas with poor air quality are also often the less affluent areas1,2. The annual health cost to society of the impacts of particulate matter alone in the UK is estimated to be around £16 billion3. The Borough of Corby is located in the north-east of Northamptonshire in the East Midlands. The major conurbations of Leicester, Northampton and Peterborough are located to the north-west, south-west and north-east of the Borough, respectively. The main pollutants of concern in Corby, as in most areas of the UK, are associated with road traffic, in particular NO2 and particulate matter (PM) at locations close to busy roads. The A43, A427 and the A6003 are the major routes that pass through the area. The countryside surrounding Corby is mainly rural in nature with arable farmland as the dominant form of agriculture. Corby Borough Council monitors NO2 concentrations at various locations throughout the Borough using a network of diffusion tubes. Concentrations of NO2 within the Borough have remained below the UK annual mean air quality objective for a number of years, and as a result, no Air Quality Management Areas (AQMAs) are currently declared within the Borough. NO2 diffusion tube monitoring results for the last 5 years (2011-2015) have been consistently low, with a decreasing trend in NO2 concentrations observed at the majority of monitoring locations. There are some year-to-year variations in concentrations, which are likely due to meteorological influences. At present, no monitoring of pollutants PM10 and PM2.5 is carried out within Corby Borough Council’s area. 1 Environmental equity, air quality, socioeconomic status and respiratory health, 2010 2 Air quality and social deprivation in the UK: an environmental inequalities analysis, 2006 3 Defra. Abatement cost guidance for valuing changes in air quality, May 2013 LAQM Annual Status Report 2016 i Corby Borough Council - England No significant changes in emissions sources within the Council’s area have been identified in the last year. Regeneration plans for Corby town are expected to increase the population by two- fold in the next 30 years. Significant growth is also expected for the whole county of Northamptonshire, especially in larger urban areas such as Northampton, Kettering, Wellingborough, Daventry and Towcester. Actions to Improve Air Quality A new Local Plan for Corby is currently being developed, which will set out policies and proposals to guide future development in the Borough up to 2031. The Local Plan for the Borough is made up of two documents, the first of which is the North Northamptonshire Joint Core Strategy, adopted in July 2016. This plan was created by the North Northamptonshire Joint Planning Unit; a partnership of Corby, East Northamptonshire, Kettering and Wellingborough Councils together with Northamptonshire County Council. It sets out key plans for many strategic issues including proposals for enhancing the environment. The North Northamptonshire Joint Planning Unit identified a need for the following transport infrastructure interventions to support proposed development in Corby to 2031: Completion of the Corby Northern Orbital Road Corby Walk and enhancement of Cottingham and Oakley Road Corby Rail bridge as part of Corby Walk Weldon Relief Road as part of the Weldon Park development Public transport improvements Walking and cycling improvements Junction and highway capacity improvements Smart Commuting The Council has also started preparing Part 2 of the Local Plan, details of which can be found on the Council’s website: https://www.corby.gov.uk/home/planning-and- building-control/planning-policy/plan-making/part-2-local-plan-corby LAQM Annual Status Report 2016 ii Corby Borough Council - England As road traffic is the dominant source of air pollution in the area, any new transport policies that emerge from the new Local Plan that reduce traffic congestion or support walking, cycling and the use of public transport are likely to have a positive impact on air quality. Local Priorities and Challenges The main priorities for addressing air quality in the Borough of Corby include: Continuing to monitor NO2 concentrations at existing long-term locations as per previous years. As has been already highlighted, annual mean NO2 concentrations are generally well within the air quality objectives throughout the Borough. Support the modal shift from the private car and increase the take-up of low carbon transportation.4 Within Corby Borough Council’s Environment Policy (2014)5, the following priorities are included to protect the environment within the Council’s area: 1. Reduce the Borough’s contribution to climate change in line with the Climate Change Act (2008) national target to cut the UK’s greenhouse gas emissions by 80% by 2050 (baseline of 1990), with intermediate targets of 34% by 2020 and 50% by 2027. 2. Improve the use of resources and waste management by encouraging waste minimisation, re-use, recycling and composting. We aim to, in line with the EU Waste Framework Directive (2008), with the Northamptonshire Waste Partnership recycle 50% of waste from households by 2020. 3. Encourage lower carbon transport alternatives such as the use of more efficient, less polluting vehicles (e.g. provision of EV charging infrastructure) and promote walking, cycling, and public transport. 4. Protect and enhance Corby’s local biodiversity and open spaces, ensuring they are appealing and accessible for all. 4 Corby Borough Council Environmental Sustainability Strategy ‘ Action on Climate Change’ 2014 – 2019 https://www.corby.gov.uk/sites/default/files/CBC%20Environmental%20Sustainability%20Strategy%20- %20Action%20on%20Climate%20Change%202014-2019.pdf 5 Corby Borough Council Environment Policy, available at https://www.corby.gov.uk/sites/default/files/Environmental%20Policy%202014.pdf Accessed 09/07/2015 LAQM Annual Status Report 2016 iii Corby Borough Council - England 5. Reduce the negative environmental impacts of all new major developments and growth programmes and leverage that new development to test new sustainable ways of living, working and travelling. 6. Reduce harmful pollutants in the air, land and water by complying with, and enforcing, environmental legislation. How to Get Involved The general public can take simple measures to help improve air quality, the main ones being, where possible, making short trips and journeys on foot or by bike instead of by car. Traffic congestion can further be reduced by the general public car sharing or by using public transport. Corby Borough Council also provides information on anti-idling on their website. Further information can be found at: https://www.corby.gov.uk/home/environmental- services/pollution and on Defra’s Local Air Quality Management (LAQM) website6 6 Defra LAQM website: http://laqm.defra.gov.uk/ LAQM Annual Status Report 2016 iv Corby Borough Council - England Table of Contents Executive Summary: Air Quality in Our Area .......................................................... i Air Quality in Corby Borough Council .................................................................................. i Actions to Improve Air Quality ............................................................................................ ii Local Priorities and Challenges ......................................................................................... iii How to Get Involved.......................................................................................................... iv 1 Local Air Quality Management ........................................................................ 1 2 Actions to Improve Air Quality ........................................................................ 2 2.1 Air Quality Management Areas .............................................................................. 2 2.2 Progress and Impact of Measures to address Air Quality in Corby Borough Council ............................................................................................................................. 2 2.3 PM2.5 – Local Authority Approach to Reducing Emissions and or Concentrations.................................................................................................................. 5 3 Air Quality Monitoring Data and Comparison with Air Quality Objectives and National Compliance ...................................................................... 6 3.1 Summary of Monitoring Undertaken ...................................................................... 6 3.1.1 Automatic