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The Council is considering implementing another “Air Quality Management Area” (AQMA). The latest would be in the Leeman Road area and has been prompted by high levels of nitrogen dioxide which have been monitored in Salisbury Terrace, between its junctions with Lincoln Street and Balfour Street.

The Council has discretion over how large an area should be covered by a new AQMA. Only 69 residents (1.2%) responded to a consultation by the Council with the majority of these favouring a wide area zone including Water End (see map).

The declaration of the AQMA means that the Council must take steps to improve the situation within 18 months. As the problem is related to the use of motor vehicles it is possible that some sort of traffic restriction might be introduced. Elsewhere buses and HGVs have been identified as major contributors to the problem.

With the Councils policy on introducing low emission buses now in disarray, it is unlikely that any plan to reroute buses away from Leeman Road would be greeted with much enthusiasm by local residents.

A full copy of the report can be found here: http://tinyurl.com/Strategy-12th-April