WARRINGTON council is drawing up plans to improve the quality of air on busy town centre highways.
Council research has found that overall pollution levels in Warrington are below national standards with the exception of nitrogen dioxide, which is associated with traffic emissions and congestion.
These are slightly above the recommended level, alongside some of the town centre’s busiest roads. Warrington is no different to other similarly-sized authorities in facing air quality issues of this type.
The council will be designating an area alongside the main traffic routes leading into and around the town as an Air Quality Management Area.
It follows a thorough investigation of the area, as part of the council’s work to improve and protect Warrington’s environment, including the quality of air that we breathe.
The designation of the town centre routes as an Air Quality Management Area paves the way to the council’s environmental protection, transport, public health and planning teams working together to develop a plan of action.
Executive board member for environment, Cllr Judith Guthrie, said: “Air Quality is an important factor in promoting health and wellbeing and it’s good news that pollution levels for the majority of Warrington meets national standards. However, there’s more to do.
‘’We will take this opportunity to work together to produce a plan, which will set out a range of options to manage local air quality. It’s part of our wider plans and ambitions to improve our town centre, both now and in the future.
“We will share more information about this work in the coming months and we look forward to receiving peoples’ views and ideas on this important subject.”
People can makes comments on Warrington’s Air Quality Management Plan and find out more information by visiting www.warrington.gov.uk, and typing ‘air quality’ into the search box.
1 Comment
There are currently some massive housing development proposals for a number of areas of Warrington. A major objection to the development proposals would be the congestion /pollution problem. The fact that WBC have an intention to develop a ‘plan of action’ can be used to counteract any objections to development. If planning permission were withheld until the ‘actions planned’ were carried out and proved to be efficient I doubt that there would be any building in Warrington for many years to come. But that’s not the way it works here is it?