Air quality
The Tyne and Wear Authorities have joined together in running a regional air quality awareness raising campaign.
The campaign called 'Be Air Aware' aims to raise awareness on air quality issues and encourage residents and businesses to take steps to improve air quality across Tyne and Wear.
For more information visit Be Air Aware
Air Quality Monitoring Information
South Tyneside Council regularly monitors air quality at four monitoring locations within the Borough. The monitoring stations operating within the Borough are outlined in the table below:
Monitoring Station | Within Air Quality Management Area? |
|---|---|
Yes | |
Yes | |
No | |
No | |
| The Captains Row, South Shields | No |
National Air Quality Strategy
In 2007 the government set out their latest National Air Quality Strategy with the aims of setting future policy, protecting public health and the natural environment, identifying current and future levels of air pollution, and setting out what everyone can do to improve air quality.
Every council has an important part to play in this. For some years South Tyneside has been working to assess local levels of a range of important pollutants to identify where action needs to be taken. Our aim is to ensure that our residents can benefit from the best air quality possible.
Air pollution in towns and cities was traditionally due to coal fires and heavy industry, but these days poor air quality is mainly due to high volumes of road traffic and congestion.
Air quality management areas
The council reviews air quality conditions on an annual basis so that we can identify any changes and take action where we consider air quality may exceed national targets.
Where national targets are exceeded an Air Quality Management Area is designated, following which improvements in air quality will be initiated.
Over 200 councils in the UK have declared Air Quality Management Areas.
Currently, two areas of South Tyneside have been declared as Air Quality Management Areas because observations show that Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) levels exceed the national objective value.
- Boldon Lane, South Shields
- Leam Lane/ Lindisfarne Roundabout, Jarrow
Boldon Lane is a busy narrow road, and queuing traffic close to housing is very common.
Lindisfarne Roundabout and a section of Leam Lane is a major commuter route linking South Shields with the rest of Tyne and Wear. The highway is extremely busy, influenced by traffic on the Tyne Tunnel Approach Road, and suffers queuing traffic close to housing between Lindisfarne roundabout and the junction with John Reid Road.
How are we doing?
South Tyneside council is required to formally adopt an Air Quality Action Plan showing how we intend to meet the national air quality target values within the areas declared as Air Quality Management Areas.
In March 2010, we completed a public consultation exercise on the Air Quality Action Plan. All responses have been considered and where relevant have been incorporated into the final document.
Once finalised, the document is being sent to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) for approval. A copy of the final agreed action plan will be posted here soon.
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