Revocation of Air Quality Management Areas in Ellesmere Port and Frodsham

What we are proposing to do

The Council intends to revoke the Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) orders for Ellesmere Port and Frodsham known respectively as

1. Ellesmere Port and Neston Borough Council Air Quality Management Area No. 1 (Whitby Road / Station Road).
2. Cheshire West and Chester Borough Council (Frodsham) Air Quality Management Order 2015 (No 1) (Fluin Lane / A56 Junction).

Ellesmere Port AQMA was declared in May 2005 and Frodsham in November 2015 both for exceedances of the air quality objective for annual mean nitrogen dioxide (NO₂). The full report can be found here.

What is an AQMA?

The Council has a duty to assess air quality throughout the borough to identify areas where relevant Air Quality Objectives may be exceeded. Air Quality Objectives are target levels for a range of air pollutants below which adverse health effects are minimised. Where an Air Quality Objective is exceeded, the Council must declare an AQMA for the affected area and produce and implement an action plan to ensure that the Objectives are met in the shortest reasonable time possible.

Reasons for revoking the AQMAs

Both locations have been compliant for at least six years and in accordance with Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) guidance and advice to the Council, it is now recommended to revoke these AQMAs.

Local monitoring shows that the roadside concentrations of NO₂ have declined significantly in recent years. Ambient levels of NO₂ in both AQMAs under review are now consistently and comfortably below the national annual objective of 40µg/m3 and this falling trend is expected to continue. Reasons for lower NO₂ concentrations in both areas are due to a number of factors but the most important are improved traffic flow and an increase in the number of low emission vehicles on the road. The increase in the sale of zero emission vehicles will only improve air quality further.

The Council will continue to monitor NO₂ at worst-case locations in the current AQMAs to confirm that ambient levels of the pollutant continue to be compliant with the national objectives and to gauge improvements in local air quality over time. Details of the monitoring sites can be found in the latest version of the Annual Status Report at www.cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk/aqmanagement.

The Council will also continue to progress related strategies such as Low Emission Strategy, the EV Charging Infrastructure Strategy as well as promote Active Travel and respond to the Climate Emergency.

Your thoughts

We would like to know your thoughts on the improving air quality in the Borough and our plans to revoke these AQMAs, including whether there are any additional factors you think we should consider.

Please get in touch via:

Or in writing to:

Public Protection
Cheshire West and Chester Council
Wyvern House
The Drumber
Winsford
CW7 1AH

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• Email: equalities@cheshirewestandchester.gov.uk
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