Document Air Quality Action Plan

The Committee was presented with, for information,  the draft Air Quality Action Plan (AQAP) for 2024.

Air quality was accessed against objectives for various pollutants.   Where a local authority identified that an air quality objective for a particular pollutant was unlikely to be met in a particular area and where there was relevant public exposure, they must designate the area as an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA).   The major source of air pollution affecting the RBC area was due to road traffic.  An AQMA covering the route of the M25 through the borough was declared in 2001.  An AQMA covering the junction of the High Street, Station Road, Brighton Road and Church Road was declared in 2008.   Both areas were declared for the pollutant, Nitrogen Dioxide.

Data since 2019 indicated that the air quality was improving and that both AQMAs could be revoked.  However, due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and associated travel restrictions the monitoring data for 2020 and 2021 may not be representative of long-term trends.  To ensure that the AQMAs are not revoked prematurely the Council intends to continue to monitor these areas for at least another two years, as well as continuing to review air quality in potential pollution hotspots in Chertsey and near the Ottershaw roundabout.

Air quality objectives were achieved across the Borough in 2022 with a general trend towards improvement in air quality.

The Committee was advised that the next step in relation to the Action Plan was to undertake a full consultation.   Once the final AQAP was available it would be brought back to this Committee.  

The Committee was pleased to note that the Surrey Air Alliance were currently undertaking a trial on monitoring air quality inside schools.  

Concerns regarding the increasing use of wood burners due to the cost of living crises was raised.   Officers would circulate to the Committee information on the proposed public information campaign on wood burning. The campaign would be looking at educating residents on safer fuel use.