Annual Progress Report (APR)
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North Lanarkshire Council Annual Progress Report (APR) 2017 Air Quality Annual Progress Report (APR) for North Lanarkshire Council In fulfilment of Part IV of the Environment Act 1995 Local Air Quality Management October 2017 LAQM Annual Progress Report 2017 North Lanarkshire Council Local Authority Fiona Maguire Officer Department Environmental Health Municipal Buildings, Kildonan Street, Address Coatbridge, ML5 3LF Telephone 01236 638622 E-mail [email protected] Report Reference NLCannualprogressreport2017 number Date 26th October 2017 LAQM Annual Progress Report 2017 North Lanarkshire Council Executive Summary: Air Quality in Our Area Air Quality in North Lanarkshire North Lanarkshire Council is Scotland’s fourth largest (by population) local authority, and is situated in the central belt. Traditionally an area associated with heavy industry, this has significantly declined in recent years and the economy of the area now focuses on commerce and light industry. Due to its geographic location many of Scotland’s trunk roads pass through it, including the M8/A8, M74, M73 and M80/A80. There is substantial cross-boundary travel with neighbouring local authorities, particularly Glasgow, South Lanarkshire, Falkirk and West Lothian, for employment, education and leisure activities. The main source of air pollution within North Lanarkshire is road traffic emissions, with a small element as a result of small-scale quarrying activities. North Lanarkshire Council operates an extensive air quality monitoring network, including automatic monitoring for Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) and fine particulate matter (PM10), as well as an extensive network of passive monitoring of NO2. The Council’s air quality monitoring network aims to monitor the most problematic areas of air pollution and is continually under review to ensure our monitoring equipment is situated in the most relevant areas. Air quality monitoring in North Lanarkshire in 2016 has indicated that annual mean concentrations of Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) recorded at all automatic monitoring sites in 2016 were below the annual mean objective level. Exceedance of the NO2 annual mean objective level was identified at one diffusion tube monitoring site however on investigation it was concluded that the potential for relevant public exposure was very low at this site. In addition, imminent structural enhancements to the area will further limit public exposure in terms of both annual mean and short-term (1 hour) air quality objective for NO2. Longer term trends for levels of NO2 in North Lanarkshire show that most sites are either showing no significant change over the past few years, or are decreasing. The exception to this is some of the diffusion tube sites in Coatbridge, Chapelhall and Airdrie. This is most likely as a result of local hotspots of traffic congestion on the local road network caused by the M8/A8/M73/M74 upgrade works which were ongoing in 2016. It is the Council’s intention to closely monitor air quality across the LAQM Annual Progress Report 2017 i North Lanarkshire Council local road network in 2017 and particularly once the trunk road improvements are complete. In terms of Particulate Matter (PM10) monitoring, results from the Council’s automatic air monitors indicate that PM10 levels recorded at all automatic monitoring sites were below the annual mean objective in 2016. Data capture at Chapelhall was only 61% in 2016 as the PM10 analyser was out of action on several occasions. As such the data for 2016 was annualised, as outlined in the report. Longer term trends of all PM10 automatic monitoring sites show a decrease in recent years, with the exception of Croy which increased marginally from 12µg/m3 to 13µg/m3 in 2016. The adjacent quarry was carrying out some crushing operations on site in 2016 so this may explain the marginal increase. The Council will continue to monitor PM10 levels at this monitoring site in 2017. Actions to Improve Air Quality In 2016 North Lanarkshire Council undertook various initiatives to improve air quality. This included the supply and installation of Electric Vehicle Charging Points at Blairhill Park and Ride station adjacent to the Coatbridge AQMA. We have also played an active role in ongoing discussions in City Deal discussions for improvements to Motherwell Town Centre in order that air quality is duly considered. In conjunction with colleagues from the Council’s Roads and Transportation team and the Council’s i-bikes officer cycling initiatives have been undertaken in schools in and near the Motherwell AQMA. This was greatly enhanced by the purchase of air quality promotional materials. The Council’s air quality monitoring equipment has also been enhanced by the purchase of a replacement air monitor for the existing Chapelhall air station. This air monitor will monitor PM10 and PM2.5 simultaneously and will enable the Council to fulfil the new legislative requirement to monitor and report on PM2.5 in the area. In terms of pollution levels – the changes to the trunk road network were still ongoing in 2016 and there is no doubt that the roadworks themselves as well the resultant new road layouts will have an impact on air quality in North Lanarkshire. The Council will continue to monitor air quality once the trunk road improvements are complete in 2017. This, in conjunction with a planned overhaul of the NO2 sites involving a GIS- LAQM Annual Progress Report 2017 ii North Lanarkshire Council based exercise will ensure that all our air quality monitors are appropriately located to provide us with robust and accurate data on air quality levels in North Lanarkshire. Local Priorities and Challenges Over the coming year (2017) in North Lanarkshire the Council’s priorities in terms of local air quality will be to continue to run our extensive network of automatic air monitors and diffusion tubes in order that we have an accurate a picture as possible of air quality levels within our area. We will also be replacing some of our older particulate monitors, funding permitting. Work will also continue with cycling promotion in schools, in accordance with our Roads colleagues. We are also hoping to undertake a joint cycling promotion campaign with colleagues in South Lanarkshire Council on cycle routes in and around Strathclyde Park. Finances continue to be a critical challenge for North Lanarkshire Council, and in particular the running and maintenance costs of our automatic air monitors. Consequently we will also be decommissioning our automatic air monitor at Moodiesburn since monitoring at this site has been consistently below the objective levels for a number of years now since the AQMA was revoked in this area. The Council’s Air Quality Action Plan will also be updated and published in 2017. How to Get Involved Further information on air quality in North Lanarkshire can be found on the Council’s website at www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=2130 or by telephoning (01236) 638640. LAQM Annual Progress Report 2017 iii North Lanarkshire Council Table of Contents Executive Summary: Air Quality in Our Area .......................................................... i Air Quality in North Lanarkshire ......................................................................................... i Actions to Improve Air Quality ............................................................................................. i Local Priorities and Challenges ......................................................................................... iii How to Get Involved.......................................................................................................... iii 1. Local Air Quality Management ........................................................................ 1 2. Actions to Improve Air Quality ........................................................................ 3 2.1 Air Quality Management Areas .............................................................................. 3 2.2 Progress and Impact of Measures to address Air Quality in North Lanarkshire ....................................................................................................................... 4 2.3 Cleaner Air for Scotland .......................................................................................16 2.3.1 Transport – Avoiding travel – T1 .................................................................................. 16 2.3.2 Climate Change – Effective co-ordination of climate change and air quality policies to deliver co-benefits – CC2 ........................................................................................... 16 3. Air Quality Monitoring Data and Comparison with Air Quality Objectives ............................................................................................................... 17 3.1 Summary of Monitoring Undertaken .....................................................................17 3.1.1 Automatic Monitoring Sites .......................................................................................... 17 3.1.2 Non-Automatic Monitoring Sites................................................................................... 17 3.2 Individual pollutants ..............................................................................................17 3.2.1 Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2)................................................................................................. 17 3.2.2 Particulate Matter (PM10) .............................................................................................