Ipswich Borough Council will decide next week on recommendations to making changes on how it monitors air quality in the town. These reflect changing patterns of air pollution and follow a Council consultation on the proposed changes.
The Council has a series of Air Quality Management Areas (AQMAs) that were initially declared as a result of high levels of the air pollutant, Nitrogen Dioxide. In order to address the levels of pollution, the Council have an Air Quality Action Plan (AQAP) in place containing a wide range of measures aimed at reducing levels of pollution and that makes use of the AQMAs.
Ipswich Borough Council monitor air quality but making improvements is also the responsibility of Suffolk County Council and the Government. The main cause of air pollution in Ipswich is traffic and the County Council are responsible for most roads.
Ipswich Borough Council has declared a Climate Change Emergency. We are working to move our fleet to become emission-free, ensuring that taxis also improve their emissions, supporting Clean Air Day and are installing Electric Vehicle (EV) charging points.
Says Cllr Alasdair Ross, Community Protection Portfolio Holder for Ipswich Borough Council,
“Ipswich Borough Council is committed to achieving the best level of air quality in Ipswich. To achieve this, we monitor air quality closely and work with our partners so that together we can reduce air pollution.
“I am pleased to see that we are considering updating our Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) boundaries. We are proposing to change the boundaries in two areas (AQMA 1 and AQMA 3) and to revoke one AQMA altogether (AQMA 4). By making these changes, we would work better towards improving air quality.
“If agreed, I look forward to the Council publishing a revised Air Quality Action Plan in the next few months and which will set out how we intend – with our partners – to work towards improving air quality in Ipswich, especially in the AQMAs.”
