Local Air Quality Management: Air Quality Progress Report A Requirement under Part IV of the Environment Act 1995. December 2005

Environmental Health Business Unit

Contents

Contents ............................................................................................................................................3 1. Introduction ..............................................................................................................................1

1.1 Background ......................................................................................................................1 1.2 Air Quality Review and Assessment Reports ................................................................1 1.3 Progress Report................................................................................................................1

2. Air Quality Monitoring Data ...................................................................................................3 2.1 Monitoring Sites...............................................................................................................3 2.2 New Monitoring Results .................................................................................................3 2.3 PM10 Particulate Matter...................................................................................................3 2.4 Nitrogen Dioxide .............................................................................................................4

2.4.1 Hourly Mean Objective for Nitrogen Dioxide .......................................................4 2.4.2 Annual Mean Objective for Nitrogen Dioxid e ......................................................4

3. Local Developments ................................................................................................................6 3.1 New Developments ..........................................................................................................6 3.2 Proposed Developments ..................................................................................................6

4. Air Quality Action Plans .........................................................................................................7 Appendix 1: Continuous Monitoring Sites ....................................................................................8 Appendix 2: Location of the Diffusion Tube Monitoring Sites ...................................................9 Appendix 3: Air Quality Standards and Guidelines ....................................................................10 Appendix 4: Air Quality Management Area ...............................................................................11 Appendix 5: Air Quality Management Area ...............................................................................12

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1. Introduction

1.1 Background

The Environment Act 1995 places a statutory duty on Local Authorities to carry out a programme of Local Air Quality Management (LAQM) including the periodic review and assessment of air quality in their area. This Progress Report is part of that process and follows on from the Detailed Assessment Report completed in June 2004. The LAQM process to date for Oxford City is summarised in Table 1.

1.2 Air Quality Review and Assessment Reports

All the Air Quality review and Assessments Reports for Oxford City have been subject to consultation with the various statutory consultees, including Oxfordshire County Council and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA). The reports have also been presented to the appropriate Council Committees. The reports and all the monitoring data can be viewed on the City Council’s website;

http://www.oxford.gov.uk by following the links for “Airwatch”, or by using the direct

link http://www.aeat.co.uk/netcen/aqarchive/oxford/index.html

1.3 Progress Report

The purpose of this Progress Report is to:

?? report on the progress for implementing air quality management in Oxford City;

?? report on progress in achieving, or maintaining pollutant concentrations below the air quality objectives;

?? report on the monitoring data collected during 2004;

?? report on any new local developments in Oxford City that might have an impact on local air quality; and

?? report on progress of the Air Quality Action Plan for the Central Oxford Air Quality management Area.

This Progress Report has been prepared in accordance with the Department for Environment Food and Rural affairs (DEFRA) Progress Report Guidance LAQM.PRG(03).

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Table 1: Air Quality Management Review and Assessment Reports for Oxford City.

Review Process

Objectives likely to be met

Objectives not likely to be met

Comments

Stage 1 and Stage 2 January 1999.

Carbon Monoxide, Benzene, 1,3 Butadiene, Lead.

Nitrogen Dioxide, Particulate Matter, Sulphur Dioxide.

Main emission source is road traffic for nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter. Possibility of short-term exceedences of 15 min SO2 objective due to Didcot Power Station. Further review of SO2 emissions from small boilers Stage 3 required for NO2.

Stage 3 January 2001.

Carbon Monoxide, Benzene, 1,3 Butadiene, Lead, Sulphur Dioxide, PM10 Particulate Matter.

Nitrogen Dioxide.

Recommended declaration of AQMA for the city centre based upon exceedence of annual NO2 objective, mainly due to road traffic emissions. PM10 Particulate Matter and SO2 examined at this stage. Not considered necessary to proceed further.

Stage 4 July 2003.

Carbon Monoxide, Benzene, 1,3 Butadiene, Lead, Sulphur Dioxide, PM10 Particulate Matter.

Nitrogen Dioxide.

Confirmation of existing AQMA, with some geographical additions. Highlights the impact of streets with high proportion of buses and HGV’s, and the significance of bus stops and congested traffic in the central area.

Updating and Screening Assessment Report November 2003.

Carbon Monoxide, Benzene, 1,3 Butadiene, Lead, Sulphur Dioxide.

Nitrogen Dioxide, PM10 Particulate Matter.

Concluded that a detailed assessment was required for nitrogen dioxide outside the AQMA, and for PM10 particulate matter inside the AQMA.

Detailed Assessment Report June 2004.

Carbon Monoxide, Benzene, 1,3 Butadiene, Lead, Sulphur Dioxide.

Nitrogen Dioxide, PM10 Particulate Matter.

Recommended declaration of AQMA for Green Road roundabout based upon exceedence of annual NO2

objective, mainly due to road traffic emissions. Further review of PM10 Particulate Matter for 2010.

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2. Air Quality Monitoring Data

2.1 Monitoring Sites

A map showing the location of the three continuous monitoring sites is shown in Appendix 1. A map showing the location of the diffusion tube monitoring sites is shown in Appendix 2.

2.2 New Monitoring Results

The Detailed Assessment Report completed in June 2004 concluded that:

1. The 24-hour mean PM10 particulate matter objective for 2004 will be met. However, further monitoring should continue on the High Street (within the existing Air Quality Management Area) so that a detailed assessment for the 2010 objective can be considered at a later stage.

2. Air Quality Management Areas are considered at Wolvercote, Cutteslowe and Green Road roundabouts because the annual mean air quality objective for Nitrogen Dioxide is not likely to be met. Further monitoring and modelling is required at these locations to determine the precise extent of the AQMA’s, if declared;

3. Assessments are carried out on other major junctions (in particular the Eastern By-Pass/Oxford Road, Cowley) on the ring road where the annual mean air quality objective for Nitrogen Dioxide is not likely to be met, and it appears that there may be receptors in close proximity;

4. The hourly objective for nitrogen dioxide is likely to be exceeded in eight streets within the existing Air Quality Management Area, although further action is not required.

In this Progress Report the recent monitoring data has been assessed and updated against the conclusions reached in the Detailed Assessment Report. The review and assessment has been made against air quality objectives prescribed in the Air Quality (England) Regulations 2000 as amended, see Appendix 3. A plan of the existing Air Quality Management Area is shown in Appendix 4.

2.3 PM10 Particulate Matter

The 2004 PM10 Particulate Matter levels for the High Street (within the Air Quality Management Area) are summarised in Table 2. The 24-hour mean level was not met on 5 occasions during 2004 and the annual mean was 21ug/m3. Neither of these results exceeds the PM10 air quality objectives for 2004. The annual mean is however, above the air quality objective for 2010 and so PM10 Particulate Matter levels will require further monitoring to assess compliance with this objective.

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The monitoring data shows that there has been no change since the Detailed Assessment Report was completed in June 2004. Table 2: PM10 Particulate Matter levels for the High Street

POLLUTANT PM10 Number Very High (> or = 100) 0 Number High (75-99) 0

Number Moderate (50-74) 35 Number Low (<50) 8272 Maximum 15-minute mean 543 µg m-3 Maximum hourly mean 142 µg m-3 Maximum running 8-hour mean 68 µg m-3 Maximum running 24-hour mean 61 µg m-3 Maximum daily mean 58 µg m-3 Average 21 µg m-3 Data capture 94.4 % All mass units are at 20'C and 1013mb

2.4 Nitrogen Dioxide

2.4.1 Hourly Mean Objective for Nitrogen Dioxide A summary of the 2004 hourly mean nitrogen dioxide results for the two City centre monitoring sites (both within the Air Quality Management Area) are shown in Table 3. Table 3: Hourly Nitrogen Dioxide Data for the City Centre Sites

Site Number of Hours

>200 ? g/m3 Number Of Days

St Aldates, Street 4 3 High Street 0 0

The results for these two sites do not exceed the hourly nitrogen dioxide air quality objective and shows that there has been no change since the Detailed Assessment Report was completed in June 2004.

2.4.2 Annual Mean Objective for Nitrogen Dioxide The Detailed Assessment Report identified three major junctions on the ring road where the annual mean air quality objective for Nitrogen Doixide would be exceeded. These road junctions were: -

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Wolvercote Roundabout, Cutteslowe Roundabout, and Green Road Roundabout Further modelling has since been carried out at all three locations and it was concluded that the air quality objective, at receptor locations, would only be exceeded at Green Road Roundabout. An Air Quality Management Area has subsequently been declared for this area. A plan of the City of Oxford (Green Road Roundabout) Air Quality Management Area is shown in Appendix 5. The Detailed Assessment report also identified three other major junctions where the annual mean air quality objective for nitrogen dioxide may be exceeded. These road junctions were: Banbury Road / Marston Ferry Road, Abingdon Road / Weirs Lane, and Iffley Road / Donnington Bridge Road. The air quality modeling has not been updated for these locations because the base traffic data has not been updated. Further diffusion tube monitoring has however taken place at the Abingdon Road / Weirs Lane, and Iff ley Road / Donnington Bridge Road junctions. The results (bias corrected and forward predicted to 2005) are 41.6 ug/m3, 43.6 ug/m3 respectively. Although over the annual mean air quality objective of 40 ug/m3 there are no key receptor sites nearby and so no further action is required in respect of these two road junctions.

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3. Local Developments

3.1 New Developments

Since the Detailed Assessment Report was completed in June 2004 there have been no:

?? new authorised processes; ?? new road developments; ?? significant changes to traffic on major roads with an annual average traffic flow

greater than 10,000 vehicles per day. ?? new major retail or commercial developments.

3.2 Proposed Developments

A new road layout is proposed for Green Road Roundabout where an Air Quality Management Area was recently declared following the Detailed Assessment Report in June 2004. The impact on air quality will be modelled once details of the scheme have been received. The Westgate Shopping Centre, which is located in the Central Oxford Air Qua lity Management Area, is to be redeveloped. This development will have a significant impact on the traffic flows in central Oxford, and in particular the operation of the bus priority route, the major source of emissions in the Air Quality Management Area. Discussions have already taken place with the developers about the details of the air quality modelling required to be submitted with the proposals.

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4. Air Quality Action Plans

A draft Air Quality Action Plan (AQAP) has been produced for the Central Oxfor d Air Quality Management Area. Consultation on the draft AQAP is currently taking place and has been scheduled to coincide with the consultation on Oxfordshire County Council’s Local Transport Plan. The process is summarized in Table 4. Table 4: AQAP and LTP Timetable Date Action Plan Local Transport Plan Sept - Dec 2005 Public Consultation Public Consultation

January 2006 Provisional amended to take account of public comments.

Provisional amended to take account of public comments.

February 2006 Final submitted to City Executive Board, and Council for approval and amended as required.

Action plan measures integrated into LTP.

March 2006 Final Action Plan submitted to DEFRA.

Final Local Transport Plan submitted to DfT.

A draft Air Quality Action Plan will be produced for the Green Road Roundabout Air Quality Management Area.

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Appendix 1: Location of Continuous Monitoring Sites

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Appendix 2: Location of the Diffusion Tube Monitoring Sites

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Appendix 3: Air Quality Standards and Guideline s

Air Quality Objectives (taken from the Air Quality Regulations 2000 and Air Quality (Amendment) Regulations 2002) Pollutant Standard Measured as

Concentration Specific objective to be achieved

Nitrogen dioxide

200? g/m3 (104.6ppb) 1 hour mean

40? g/m3 (21ppb) annual mean

not to be exceeded more than 18 times a year by 31/12/05 by 31/12/05

Particles PM10

(Gravimetric)

50? g/m3 24-hour mean 40? g/m3 annual mean

mean not to be exceeded more than 35 times a year by 31/12/04 by 31/12/04

Particles PM10

(Gravimetric)

50? g/m3 24-hour mean 20? g/m3 annual mean

mean not to be exceeded more than 7 times a year by 31/12/10 by 31/12/10

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Appendix 4: City of Oxford Central Air Quality Management Area

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Appendix 5: City of Oxford (Green Road Roundabout ) Air Quality Management Area