Air quality

Poor air quality can affect health, the environment, and quality of life. Air Quality Management Areas (AQMAs) are declared when levels of pollutants are higher than the recommended levels.

Core Strategy 14.6

Have no declared Air Quality Management Areas (AQMAa) arising from transport across the city.

This target is not on track.

Chart showing nitrogen dioxide levels in AQMAs [244KB]

In the city we have Air Quality Management Areas (AQMAs) on Mutley Plain and on Exeter Street. The level of Nitrogen Dioxide (NO₂) in these areas has increased for the past two years and both are now above the target level of 40µg m³. The levels of NO₂ are as a result of traffic pollution. The Council has produced an Air Quality Action Plan (AQAP) for these areas which sets out measures to reduce air pollution to below recommended levels.

The only Benzene related AQMA, in Exeter Street, was removed in 2010. This was possible because measures to reduce the vapours at the petrol station have reduced levels of this pollutant since 1999.

Plymouth Transport and Highways through Plymouth’s Third Local Transport Plan (2011 to 2026) will seek to manage air quality through a wide range of measures.

This page from the annual monitoring report was last updated December 2011.