Vale of White Horse District Council 2020 Air Quality Annual Status Report (ASR) In fulfilment of Part IV of the Environment Act 1995 Local Air Quality Management June 2020 LAQM Annual Status Report 2020 Vale of White Horse District Council Local Authority Vale of White Horse District Council Officer Department Housing and Environment Address 135 Eastern Avenue Milton Park Didcot Telephone 01235 422403 E-mail [email protected] Report Reference VWHDCASR2020 number Date June 2020 LAQM Annual Status Report 2020 Vale of White Horse District Council Executive Summary: Air Quality in Our Area Air Quality in Vale of White Horse District 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. Vale of White Horse District Council (the council) has declared AQMA’s in three areas within the District: Abingdon, Botley and Marcham all due to high levels of NO2 from traffic fumes. These can be viewed at the following link: https://oxfordshire.air- quality.info/. The maps of the AQMAs are also included in Figures D1, D2 and D3 of this report. The monitoring results recorded in 2019 show a decrease in pollution levels from 2018 in most areas of the District, following the static trend identified in the previous year. In Botley and Marcham exceedances of the annual objective for NO2 continue to be recorded albeit at lower levels than 2018. In Abingdon levels at facades are now below 36ug/m3, low enough for serious consideration to be given to revoking the AQMA. The highest levels of nitrogen dioxide recorded were in Botley close to the A34. Results from kerbside monitoring predict levels at the nearest facades of residential properties would be above the national air quality objective, however actual measurements at these facades were high but fell below this objective. In order to improve air pollution across the district, the council works in collaboration with partners like Oxfordshire County Council (OCC), Oxford Bus Company (OBC) and other local authorities within Oxfordshire, putting in place some measures to reduce NO2 and PM levels further, both in the AQMAs and also across the entire district. 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 2020 i Vale of White Horse District Council Meetings of the Oxfordshire Air Quality Group are held quarterly and include representatives from Public Health and Public Health England (PHE), enabling joint working and a more comprehensive approach to our future projects. Actions to Improve Air Quality In order to improve air quality within the district the council have undertaken several initiatives over the past year which include: Launching our anti-idling campaign “Turn it off” on Clean Air Day (see Figure 1 below) and shared information on the impacts of engine idling during a series of promotional events. Figure 1 Turn It Off Campaign Promotional stickers During the second stage of the campaign, the council targeted drivers specifically by advertising the campaign in the nozzles of petrol stations in Abingdon (no petrol stations in Marcham or at an appropriate location on the A34 in Botley) (see Figure 2 below). Figure 2 Advertisement for the anti-idling campaign in petrol stations LAQM Annual Status Report 2020 ii Vale of White Horse District Council Since many members of the public showed interest in helping spread the message, the council has been sharing promotional materials with individuals and organisations for the last year. A third stage of the campaign had been planned to take place between March and June 2020, this time targeting sensitive receptors, by launching an artwork competition. This project has however now been postponed due to the current Covid 19 lockdown and school closures. We launched a competition asking people not to use their car on Car Free Day (22 Sept 2019) and asking them to share how they spent the day instead to win a prize. Produced a leaflet with eco-driving tips that was sent out to all the residents of the district with the council tax invoices in February/March 2020 (see figure 3 below) Figure 3 Eco-driving tips leaflet shared with the residents of Vale of White Horse In 2019, the council was part of a joint bid, together with other Local Authorities in Oxfordshire, to apply for Defra AQ funding in 2019. The proposal, although unsuccessful, aimed to obtain funding to update the existing Oxfordshire Air Quality website (https://oxfordshire.air-quality.info/). LAQM Annual Status Report 2020 iii Vale of White Horse District Council The council also made a bid for Defra AQ funding for low cost monitoring and modelling for Botley and Marcham AQMAs unfortunately this was also unsuccessful. We made a bid for funding from Highways England for feasibility modelling of barriers to improve air quality impacts in the Botley AQMA. This bid was unsuccessful because Highways England had modelled the potential impacts of barriers elsewhere on their road network and found them to be ineffective. We have also engaged with the Council’s Planning Team on the new Local Plan and on the production of Air Quality Guidance for Developers. This guidance has been drafted, consulted upon and amended and is now in the process of being finalised. Conclusions and Priorities In 2019, four exceedances of the annual objective of NO2 were identified in the council district, within Botley and Marcham AQMAs, at monitoring sites that had registered exceedances in previous years. Over the last five years NO2 levels in the district show a gradually decreasing trend. In Abingdon monitoring has demonstrated that, for another year there have been no exceedances of the objective at sensitive receptors. Consideration may now be given to revoking the AQMA which would involve a consultation exercise. A reduction in monitored levels is also exhibited in Botley and Marcham however the Air Quality Objective (AQO) continues to be breached in these two AQMAs. The council priorities for the following reporting year include starting the process of updating the Air Quality Action Plan, finalising and publishing the updated AQ Developers Guidance document, give detailed consideration to the revocation of the Abingdon AQMA and re-scheduling those anti-idling campaign actions that were planned for the Spring/Summer 2020 but have been delayed due to the current pandemic. Local Engagement and How to get Involved There are many ways in which the public can get involved in helping to improve air quality in their area, from using your car less, driving more efficiently when you do have to drive or considering a cleaner vehicle when you choose to upgrade your car. LAQM Annual Status Report 2020 iv Vale of White Horse District Council Many smart travel choices and other tips to reduce air pollution can be found in the links below: • https://www.oxfordshire.gov.uk/cms/public-site/travel-choices • http://www.traveline.info/ • https://oxfordshire.air-quality.info/what-can-you-do-to-improve-air-quality LAQM Annual Status Report 2020 v Vale of White Horse District Council Table of Contents Executive Summary: Air Quality in Our Area .......................................................... i Air Quality in Vale of White Horse District Council .............................................................. i Actions to Improve Air Quality ............................................................................................ ii Conclusions and Priorities ................................................................................................ iv Local Engagement and 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 Vale of White Horse ........ 4 2.2 PM2.5 – Local Authority Approach to Reducing Emissions and/or Concentrations.................................................................................................................17 3 Air Quality Monitoring Data and Comparison with Air Quality Objectives and National Compliance .................................................................... 20 3.1 Summary of Monitoring Undertaken .....................................................................20 3.1.1 Automatic Monitoring Sites .......................................................................................... 20 3.1.2 Non-Automatic Monitoring Sites................................................................................... 20 3.2 Individual Pollutants .............................................................................................20