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Air Quality: The UK Perspective

Air Quality: The UK Perspective. Carol Tidmarsh Air and Environment Quality Division Defra Portsmouth Air Quality Conference 18 January 2007. Outline. Air quality and health issues Main air quality problems today European National Local - LAQM - LTP2.

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Air Quality: The UK Perspective

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  1. Air Quality: The UK Perspective Carol Tidmarsh Air and Environment Quality Division Defra Portsmouth Air Quality Conference 18 January 2007

  2. Outline • Air quality and health issues • Main air quality problems today • European • National • Local - LAQM - LTP2

  3. Air Quality – Why Does It Matter? • Air Quality is a quality of life, and health and environmental issue • 12-24,000 deaths a year brought forward by short-term exposure to air pollution • Air pollution estimated to reduce life expectancy of every person in UK by average of 8 months • 2003,55% of natural habitats in the UK exceeded levels of harmful acidity

  4. Air Quality Background • Air quality has been improving – mainly due to tighter Euro standards on vehicles and fuels and tighter industrial controls • Between 1990-2001, improvements helped to avoid 4,225 premature deaths in each of those years • We continue to meet the Air Quality Strategy’s objectives for carbon monoxide, benzene and 1,3 butadiene, and lead

  5. Air Quality Background • And we are meeting current objectives for all pollutants in most parts of the country – up to 99% in some cases • But it is unlikely we will meet objectives for particles and nitrogen dioxide in all parts of the country – particularly London • Some of the pollutants, such as particles (PM10) have no safe level of concentrations • Improvements in areas even already below objective levels generate cost effective health benefits

  6. Where are the main problems today? • Major urban centres, London, Sheffield, Manchester, Liverpool etc • Areas close to major road links – motorways/A roads • Street canyons in smaller towns • Very few areas have high levels of SO2 near to industrial sources

  7. Who is responsible for delivering cleaner air? • All of us! • International/European • National Government • Local • Industry/Transport/Businesses • Individuals

  8. European • Air Quality Framework Directive and Daughter Directives • 1st AQDD – NO2, NOx, PM10, SO2, Lead(1999) • 2nd AQDD - Benzene, Carbon Monoxide (2000) • 3rd AQDD – Ozone (2002) • 4th AQDD – heavy metals and PAHs (2007)

  9. National Air Quality Strategy • Required by Environment Act 1995 • To include: • policies for limiting air pollution • standards and objectives for air pollutants • measures to be taken to achieve them. • First Strategy 1997; current Strategy published January 2000 with an Addendum in February 2003 • Strategy to be kept under review

  10. National Air Quality Strategy

  11. AQSR consultation proposals • New policy measures: • Transport • Industrial/Domestic • Shipping • Combined measures • Packages of measures • New objectives: • PM2.5 coupled with Exposure-Reduction approach • Ecosystems - N0x S02 O3

  12. AQS review: next steps • A summary report of the comments received is available on Defra’s website. • Defra and DAs now carrying out further modelling and sensitivity work on some of the proposed new measures • Updating baseline with latest data – new energy projections,etc • Ministerial clearance process starts shortly • Aim to publish a final revised AQS in Spring 2007

  13. Other Transport Issues • DfT’s Transport Innovation Fund – supporting local road pricing and transport packages – schemes must not be detrimental to the environment • Cycling England: Government doubled budget to £10m a year over 3 years • DfT looking to publicise interim results from Sustainable Travel Towns, Darlington, Peterborough and Worcester:

  14. Other Transport Issues • Darlington – 3% reduction in car driver trips with increases in walking (4%) and public transport (14%) • Peterborough – 13% reduction in car driver trips, with increases in walking (21%), cycling (25%) and public transport (13%) • Worcester - 12% reduction in car driver trips and increase in walking (17%), cycling (36%) and public transport (22%) • Over next two years, these 3 Individual Travel Marketing programmes are being rolled out to a total of 40,000, 30,000 and 23,000 households respectively

  15. LAQM Stats (UK) • LAs with AQMA(s): 197 • AQMA by pollutants: • LA Action Plans received: draft c. 120 final c. 100

  16. Local Transport Plans (LTPs) • Local authorities encouraged to integrate action plans into the Local Transport Plan • Final LTPs received March 2006 • Defra’s consultants, Bureau Veritas/Transport, Travel Research Ltd appraised all 82 Plans • LTP assessments were issued in December 2006

  17. Summary • Government is continuing to press ahead in taking action to move us closer to meeting the national air quality objectives • Continuing to link and raise the profile of air quality in other policy areas • Fully recognise local authorities are important delivery partners and we will continue to work in partnership

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