Proposal to revoke the Air Quality Management Area for Windsor Road, Penarth.

Annual average levels of Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2), a transport derived pollutant, have improved for the Council’s only established Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) located on Windsor Road, Cogan, Penarth. Annual Average levels of NO2 have stabilised below the set limit values for NO2, referred to as the Air Quality Standard Objectives, for a consecutive number of years. The Council therefore proposes to remove the AQMA status assigned to Windsor Road, Penarth.

Local authorities have a statutory duty under Part IV of the Environment Act 1995 to ensure a programme of Local Air Quality Management (LAQM) is implemented. Under Section 82 of the Environment Act 1995 every local authority has an obligation to regularly review and assess air quality in their areas, and to determine whether or not air quality objectives are likely to be achieved. 

Where the air quality reviews indicate that the air quality objectives are not being achieved, or are not likely to be achieved, Section 83 of the 1995 Act requires local authorities to designate an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA). 

The AQMA has been in place since 01 August 2013, and was implemented due to annual average levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2), known to be road transport derived, exceeding the permitted AQS limit of 40μg/m3.

Since 2014, NO2 concentrations, specifically along Windsor Road have stabilised below the AQS limit values and the need for an AQMA has since been reviewed.