20 November 2008Air Quality Strategy
Sevenoaks District Air Quality Management Areas
The Environment Act 1995 requires local councils to regularly assess the air quality in their area to see if any of the key pollutants in the National Air Quality Strategy are likely to exceed the targets currently set. In locations where this is likely to happen and where the public are exposed to the pollution, the Council is required to designate an 'Air Quality Management Area'.
In 1997, the Government produced the first National Air Quality Strategy. This recommended maximum acceptable levels for eight key pollutants and set 'target levels' for seven of these to be achieved by 2004/5. The Strategy was revised in January 2000 and new pollutants and tougher targets were introduced in August 2002.
The M25, M26, M20, A20 Swanley by-pass and a section of the A25 at Riverhead were declared as Air Quality Management Areas (AQMAs) on 1 March 2002 and these areas were revised in 2005.
Assessments are made every three years and can incorporate new pollutants as well as revised targets and can also result in Air Quality Management Areas being changed or new areas designated.
Five new areas were designated in September 2006.These cover Sevenoaks High Street and the Bat and Ball junction of the A25/A225, Westerham and Swanley Town centres and High Street (A25) Seal.
A further review was undertaken in 2007 and as a result of this assessment, 3 additional Air Quality Management Areas are proposed. The additional report and maps of the proposed Air Quality Management Areas can be viewed here:
Proposed Extension of AQMAs 0607 (
PDF 232K file details
AQ Detailed Assessment 07 ( PDF 5332K file details)
AQMA 1A NO2 2007 Farningham Proposed ( PDF 180K file details)
AQMA 5A Riverhead and Dunton Green Proposed ( PDF 182K file details)
AQMA 10A Proposed Amendment to Sevenoaks High Str ( PDF 202K file details).
The proposed AQMAs are London Road in Dunton Green and Riverhead, part of the A20 at Farningham, and London Road/Pembroke Road in Sevenoaks.
The next review is due in 2009.
The Government requires local councils to produce and implement an 'Action Plan' to improve air quality in their areas. This could include, for example, restricting traffic and encouraging the use of public transport.
A plan covering our first five AQMA's was adopted in November 2006. (The plan may be amended to include the new AQMAs or a new plan for these areas produced).Click to view the Action Plan November 2006 ( PDF 4637K file details).
The principal cause of poor air quality in the Council's area is the large volume of road traffic including a very high proportion of heavy goods vehicles passing through the area on the motorways to and from the Channel ports and tunnel.
The Council has no control over the traffic on major trunk routes such as the M25 and relies on the Government and the Highways Agency to introduce National Strategies and local measures to reduce the air pollution affecting our area. The Council will continue to investigate and use local measures to improve air quality and seeks to encourage and educate the public to reduce car use, to promote green travel and sustainable work and life styles.
What you can do to help
Things that you can do to help improve our environment include the following:
If you have any queries or need more information, please contact the Environmental Protection Team at the following address:
Environmental Protection Team
Environmental Health
Sevenoaks District Council
Council Offices
Argyle Road
Sevenoaks
Kent
TN13 1HG
Call 01732 227278
e-mail: air.quality.consultations@sevenoaks.gov.uk
