2018 Air Quality Annual Status Report (ASR)

Leeds City Council 2018 Air Quality Annual Status Report (ASR) In fulfilment of Part IV of the Environment Act 1995 Local Air Quality Management June 2018 LAQM Annual Status Report 2018 Leeds City Council Local Authority Jon Tubby Officer Department Communities & Environment Address Millshaw Park Way, Leeds LS11 0LS Telephone 0113 378 5959 E-mail [email protected] Report Reference EH/EP/ASR2018 number Date June 2018 LAQM Annual Status Report 2018 Leeds City Council Executive Summary: Air Quality in Our Area Air Quality in Leeds City 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. Air quality in the majority of the city, its suburbs and surrounding rural areas achieve the objectives contained in the UK AQ Regulations. Even at relatively short distances away from the busiest main roads, background levels well below the requirements of the regulations exist. Although there are six declared Air Quality Management Areas (AQMAs) along some of our major roads, measured nitrogen dioxide concentrations at these and other locations have generally shown improvements in recent years. The current AQMAs (shown in Appendix D) can also be seen on-line at Agenda Item 109 of: http://democracy.leeds.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=102&MId=7525&Ver=4 and in the full national list at http://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/aqma/list Under the different assessment regime of the EU Directive on Air Quality, a part of Leeds not previously assessed under LAQM because of the absence of long-term public exposure (typically pavements alongside busy roads with no nearby residential uses) has led to an obligation on the Council to develop a ‘Clean Air Zone’ (CAZ). To address the country’s failure to comply with the EU Directive, regular discussions with officials of the Joint Air Quality Unit (JAQU) are continuing to determine the extent of measures necessary to achieve a satisfactory outcome to the issues identified in Leeds. A report was accepted by the Executive Board of the Council at the end of 2017 which contained draft proposals for a CAZ [and a consultation period 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 2018 i Leeds City Council of eight weeks took place at the beginning of 2018]. The report can be viewed at Agenda Item 122 of: https://democracy.leeds.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=102&MId=7832&Ver=4 Actions to Improve Air Quality The AQMAs in the city are related primarily to nitrogen dioxide emissions associated with road transport and a number of proposals to target this source were proposed prior to the requirement to introduce a CAZ through encouragement of walking, cycling and the more widespread use of public transport Working with the four other West Yorkshire local authorities and the Public Transport division of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority (WYCA), a West Yorkshire Low Emission Strategy (WYLES) has been introduced. In addition, joint applications through WYCA for OLEV funding have been successful under the ULEV Taxi scheme to provide an EV charging point network and a Low Emission Bus retrofit scheme to reduce emissions. Leeds City Council has also received a major grant from DEFRA to help tackle highly polluting transport refrigeration units (TRUs) fitted to goods delivery vehicles. This will trial new technology form Dearman, testing zero-emissions refrigeration units that run on liquid nitrogen. It is estimated that in Leeds, TRUs emit 71 tonnes of nitrogen oxides and 9.5 tonnes of particulate matter each year. This project could lead to significant improvements, not just to Leeds air quality, but to other cities around the country. A table detailing measures already carried out and those proposed for the future to address the air quality issues within the city are shown in the main body of the report (at Table 2.2) and an updated Air Quality Action Plan (AQAP) is being prepared to incorporate the existing proposals and those associated with the introduction of the CAZ Conclusions and Priorities The picture of air quality in Leeds is generally one of reducing pollutant concentrations. A number of schemes are proposed to improve public transport (and reduce their emissions) thereby reducing the need to bring private cars into the heart of the city. This in turn will have beneficial effects, further improving air quality within LAQM Annual Status Report 2018 ii Leeds City Council the CAZ and the declared AQMAs. Although revocation is not proposed immediately, results indicate that two of the current AQMAs appear to be achieving ‘acceptable’ pollutant concentrations. The additional monitoring carried out, particularly to support the work around the CAZ has identified a small area where the hourly standard for nitrogen dioxide may be breached, but traffic management proposals referenced in the report are expected to address this concern. It is expected that the final proposals for the CAZ will be prepared following the consultation process and a combination of the associated updated AQAP and a ‘cleaning of the fleet’ of vehicles within the city council area will achieve the requirements of both the CAZ and AQMAs. Local Engagement and How to get Involved Clean Air Leeds is the platform for Leeds’ air quality behaviour change campaign. The campaign is aimed at three key audiences: residents, schools and businesses. Its objective is to raise awareness of the things these groups can do to improve the quality of air we breathe. Reducing air pollution will require a city-wide effort, and even small anticipated changes in behaviour will have a significant positive impact on air quality. The campaign has built a following on social media, and was ‘launched’ alongside the National Clean Air Day campaign in June 2017. Since its launch there has been engagement with schools through competitions, encouraging children to walk, cycle or ‘park & stride’ to school, and we are have developed toolkits with activity packs that can be used by teachers. We have been providing businesses with one-to-one briefings to discuss how they can reduce air pollution or emissions through their fleet, supply chain, staff travel and heating. Residents have been communicated with, initially through the National Clean Air Day campaign, which has acted as a precursor to this three year behaviour change campaign, and more recently as part of the Clean Air Zone consultation which received over 8,500 responses from people who live and work in Leeds. This year, Clean Air Leeds are promoting the #5mileLeeds challenge, where they are encouraging everybody to reduce their journeys via car by 5 miles per week. This LAQM Annual Status Report 2018 iii Leeds City Council could be done by walking to the shop instead of driving, jumping on the bus to work twice a week, or making the most of the new bike share scheme in the city. Further information on the campaign can be found at www.CleanAirLeeds.co.uk or connect with the team on social media via @CleanAirLeedsCC on Twitter, /CleanAirLeedsCC on Facebook, or alternatively by emailing [email protected] LAQM Annual Status Report 2018 iv Leeds City Council Table of Contents Executive Summary: Air Quality in Our Area .......................................................... i Air Quality in Leeds City Council ......................................................................................... i Actions to Improve Air Quality ............................................................................................ ii Conclusions and Priorities ................................................................................................. ii Local Engagement and How to get Involved ..................................................................... iii 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 Leeds City Council ............................................................................................................................. 6 2.3 PM2.5 – Local Authority Approach to Reducing Emissions and/or Concentrations.................................................................................................................24 3 Air Quality Monitoring Data and Comparison with Air Quality Objectives and National Compliance .................................................................... 25 3.1 Summary of Monitoring Undertaken .....................................................................25 3.1.1 Automatic Monitoring Sites .........................................................................................

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