Cornwall seeks views on Gunnislake air quality
Council consults with residents on plans to improve nitrogen dioxide levels in the village, declared an AQMA in 2014
Residents of Gunnislake in Cornwall are being asked for their views on plans to improve air quality in the village, which was declared an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) in 2014.
Cornwall council map of the AQMA in Gunnislake, situated just west of the A390 and the River Tamar (click to enlarge)
Launching on Monday (January 11) and running until March 7, the consultation will feed into the council’s draft Air Quality Action Plan (AQAP), which will set out a number of options being investigated with the aim of reducing nitrogen dioxide levels in the village.
Policies such as car sharing schemes and alternative routes for heavy goods vehicle (HGV) traffic in and around the village — which sits next to the River Tamar and the border with Devon — are being considered for the plan.
Cornwall county council declared Gunnislake an AQMA in 2014 after long term monitoring found ‘excessive’ levels of traffic related nitrogen dioxide (NO2) pollution, for which heavy road vehicles passing through Gunnislake on the A390 are cited as the main cause.
Cornwall
In February 2013, Cornwall council introduced a county-wide Air Quality Action Plan to tackle NO2 emissions, which included measures such as replacing the bus fleet with cleaner vehicles by 2020 and reducing speed limits (see AirQualityNews.com story).
And, last July, the council declared an AQMA encompassing the entire city of Truro after air quality monitoring results found “excessive” levels of air pollution in the city (see AirQualityNews.com story).
There are a total of six AQMAs in Cornwall, including in both Truro and Gunnislake as well as in St Austell, Tideford, Bodmin and Camborne-Pool-Redruth.
Gunnislake sits just west of the A390 on the border with Devon
Cornwall councillor Geoff Brown, portfolio holder for communities, said: “Although air quality in Cornwall is generally very good, there are a few areas where pollution exceeds national air quality standards, and Gunnislake is one of them. The action plan for Gunnislake Air Quality Management Area is an important positive step towards improving the local air quality and well-being and sustainability for our residents and visitors alike.”
Dorothy Kirk, Cornwall councillor for Gunnislake and Calstock, added: “The draft plan includes fourteen different measures that could help to improve air quality in Gunnislake. These range from promoting car sharing to working with hauliers to find alternative routes for HGV traffic. We need as many local people as possible to tell us what they think so that we can develop the most suitable options for the village.”
According to the council, residents living along the A390 in the heart of Gunnislake village will a receive leaflet about the consultation. There will also be a drop-in exhibition at Gunnislake Public Hall on January 26 from 3-7pm, with council staff available to answer questions.