Council outlines plans to boost air quality in Wiltshire
The new plan runs until 2029
Wiltshire Council's outlined it's plans to improve air quality in the county with it's Air Quality Action Plan (AQAP).
They've formally adopted the plan, which fulfils the statutory duty set out by the Local Air Quality Management Framework.
The new AQAP replaces the previous plan and runs until 2029.
Currently, the council has declared eight Air Quality Management Areas (AQMA) in Wiltshire.
There are three in Salisbury, each in separate area's of the city, with the remaining five in Bradford-on Avon, Westbury, Marlborough, Devizes and Calne.
An AQMA is an area where the local air quality is unlikely to meet the Government's national air quality objectives, so the council applies special measures to make improvements.
Projects delivered directly and indirectly through the previous action plan include:
Ensuring Air Quality was incorporated into wider spatial planning and transport policy.
Supporting the implementation of LTP (Local Transport Plan) 3, where it brings about improvements in Air Quality, including:
- implementing key junction
- improvements identified by the Devizes Transport Strategy (including acceleration of A361/London Road junction improvements, and addition of new cycle towpaths improvements / contraflow cycle lane).
- Establishment of local air quality groups to spearhead their own local initiatives to improve air quality within Air Quality Management Areas (AQMAs).
- Supporting bids to OLEV and for the introduction of electric buses in Salisbury.
- Developing revised Supplementary Planning Guidance on air quality for developers.
- Developing a dedicated Air Quality website giving access to data to Wiltshire residents and others.
- Introducing a Know and Respond text service for vulnerable people to alert them of poor air quality episodes.
The council has designed actions that can be considered under the following broad topics:
- Alternatives to private vehicle use
- Environmental permits
- Freight and delivery management
- Policy guidance and development control
- Promoting low emission transport
- Promoting low emission plant
- Promoting travel alternatives
- Public information
- Transport planning and infrastructure
- Traffic management
- Vehicle fleet efficiency
The action plan was formally adopted by Wiltshire Council's Cabinet at its meeting on 19 March following a period on consultation with stakeholders, including National Highways, neighbouring local authorities, the Environment Agency, Defra and members of the public, last year.
Wiltshire Council Cabinet Member for Waste and Environment, Cllr Dominic Muns, said: "I'm pleased we have finalised this action plan following a robust process and really worthwhile consultation. It is important that the plan will develop over time, and it sets out clear direction and priorities to support our efforts to improve air quality throughout the county.
"It is our responsibility to drive this plan forward but, alongside partners and the public, we all have a collective responsibility to do what we can to continue the progress which has seen pollutant trends moving towards an overall improvement in air quality in the county."