LAQM Consultation meeting

The LAQM consultation meeting hosted by the AQMRC, UWE, Bristol, yesterday, was well-attended with a good cross-section of air quality professionals from across the country, including representatives from local authorities, consultants, university research centres in air quality management, transport and healthy cities, Defra, the Environment Agency, Sustrans, IAQM, EPUK and the Air Quality Bulletin.

The presentations that preceded the discussion are available for download on the UWE website:

·        Robert Vaughan (Defra)  Review of Local Air Quality Management http://www2.uwe.ac.uk/faculties/FET/Research/AQMRC/presentations/DefraUWELAQMreviewpresentation1Aug2013.pdf

·         Jo Barnes (AQMRC, UWE) Is Local Air Quality Management a successful strategy in achieving selected EU Limit Values?http://www2.uwe.ac.uk/faculties/FET/Research/AQMRC/presentations/JoBarnesLAQMConsultation2013.pdf

·         Duncan Laxen (Air Quality Consultants) LAQM Consultation http://www2.uwe.ac.uk/faculties/FET/Research/AQMRC/presentations/AQCpresentation.pdf

 

The four aims were discussed in detail and the impact of the four proposed options considered, focusing on Options 2 and 3.

A critique of the aims and options identified the following key points:

·         There is a need to review the 2007 Air Quality Strategy and update Air Quality Regulations to redefine the contributions of both national and local actors.

·         Public health protection should be a meta-aim of the LAQM review to reflect the importance of LAQM as a public health protection process.

·         There is a need for a cross-departmental responsibility for local authorities to improve air quality.

·         There were concerns about the consequences of implementing Option 4, being the most cost-effective option on paper.

·         There was a recognition of the opportunity for local authorities to contribute to meeting EU Limit Values, but that there are issues to resolve, e.g. relevant exposure.

·         There is a need to retain annual reporting to ensure local monitoring is maintained to inform implementation of Air Quality Action Plans.

·         There is a need to retain Air Quality Management Areas as a basis for development control.

·         There is a need to make Air Quality Action Planning robust and effective.

 

It is the opinion of the AQMRC, UWE, that an adaptation of Option 2 is preferable, whilst noting that LAQM has a role in supporting national efforts to meet EU Limit Values.

Full details about the LAQM consultation, including the consultation document and an opportunity to respond online are available on https://consult.defra.gov.uk/communications/https-consult-defra-gov-uk-laqm_review. The deadline for responses is 30^th August 2013.