London Borough of Newham Air Quality Action Plan Consultation Report Submitted by: London Borough of Newham Alice Billings House 2-12 West Ham Lane Stratford London E15 4SF Contact: Robin Whitehouse (LEHO) – 020 8430 3792
[email protected] Submission date of Report: 28th March 2003 Overview Under the National Air Quality Strategy (NAQS), Newham Council is required to assess the air quality within the borough. The NAQS provides objectives and target dates for various pollutants, which the council must achieve. Where it is unlikely that these objectives will be met the council must declare an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA). Under section 84(2) of the Environment Act 1995, where an AQMA is declared Newham Council must agree an Action Plan to work towards the objectives given. Newham Council has been reviewing its air quality since 1998 and has just completed stage IV of this review and assessment process. Stage III identified that Newham Council will not meet the objectives for PM10 (24hr rolling mean) and nitrogen dioxide (annual average) and so the council declared an AQMA in March 2002. As road traffic is the primary source of pollution, the AQMA falls along major roads in the borough. Government Guidelines (2000) state that air quality action plans (AQAP) should be in place 12 to18 months following an AQMA designation. This Action Plan has been produced using guidance from the National Society for Clean Air and Environment (NSCA), the London Mayors Air Quality Strategy (MAQS) and the Action Plan Appraisal checklist developed by Casella-Stanger (acting on behalf of DEFRA).