Suffolk A12 road declared Air Quality Management Area

Suffolk Coastal district council to draw up action plan to tackle nitrogen dioxide levels in area

An action plan is being drawn up by Suffolk Coastal district council to tackle nitrogen dioxide emissions on the A12 after part of the road was declared an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) last month.

Steps are being taken by Suffolk Coastal council to reduce air pollution on the A12 road

The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) agreed to declare the AQMA with immediate effect on June 18 2014. The area encompasses four properties within 1-5 Long Row on Main Road in Stratford St Andrew, Suffolk.

This followed monitoring carried out by the district council since 2011, which found that levels of NO2 from traffic in the area were breaching the national objective of 40 microgrammes per cubic metre.

A report on the monitoring issued last July showed that NO2 levels in the area were at 42.4 microgrammes per cubic metre in 2012.

Suffolk Coastal district councillor Andrew Nunn, cabinet member for the environment, said: “We now need to carry out a further assessment of the air quality and have to report back to Defra within 12 months. The council is also required to produce a written action plan within 18 months, setting out what measures we will introduce to try to cut level of nitrogen dioxide.”

Councillor Nunn added: “The Action Plan will be produced in conjunction with Suffolk county council, which is in charge of the A12 trunk road, and will set out what measures are available to help reduce the pollution level within the area.”

Residents and businesses in the area with comments and ideas regarding the AQMA are asked to send them to Environmental Protection at the council’s offices in Melton Hill, Woodbridge, or to email them to environmental.protection@suffolkcoastal.gov.uk.