New Air Quality Monitoring Systems are set to be installed in Hereford and Leominster, amid concerns over air pollution levels.
The Local Air Quality Management (LAQM) process (as set out in Part IV of the Environment Act 1995 and the relevant Policy and Technical Guidance documents) places an obligation on all local authorities to regularly review and assess air quality in their areas, and to determine whether the air quality objectives are likely to be achieved. Where there is an exceedance or it is considered likely an exceedance will occur, the local authority must declare an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) and prepare an Air Quality Action Plan (AQAP) setting out the measures it intends to put in place in pursuit of the objectives.
Monitoring of pollutants within Herefordshire up to 2018 has shown an exceedance of the NO2 Air Quality Objectives at both Air Quality Management Area (AQMA’s) (Hereford 42 µg/m3 and Bargates 45.1 µg/m3).
An AQMA is declared where the national ‘air quality objective’ set by the Government is exceeded.
The major source of air pollutants in Herefordshire is vehicle emissions, specifically the emissions from the A49 Road through Hereford and Bargates Road junction in Leominster have been identified as significant.
A decision has been taken by Herefordshire Council to update the equipment on Victoria Street, Hereford with DEFRA approved air quality monitoring equipment and to expand the Air Quality Monitoring Station, network to include a second Air Quality Monitoring Station in Leominster.
Enviro Technology Services have been awarded with the contract, for the supply and delivery of the replacement AQMS in Victoria Street, Hereford and a second new AQMS station at Bargates, Leominster. The estimated total contract value is £128,634 including maintenance over a 3 year period which will be funded from:-
£95,306 from the capital budget
£33,328 from the revenue budget for maintenance
