Air quality in Plymouth has greatly improved over recent years. As a local authority, we are required to review and assess air quality in our area against National Air Quality Objectives. If pollutant levels are above or likely to be above national targets, we need to declare an area as an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA).
Plymouth has had a single city wide AQMA due to Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) exceeding national objectives since 2014.
However, from results of monitoring in 2023, Plymouth have met all national Air Quality Objectives for Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) and Particulate Matter (PM), therefore following confirmation from DEFRA, with affect from 31 October 2024, the AQMA has now been revoked.
After an AQMA has been revoked it is required under DEFRA Local Air Quality Management Policy guidance that an Air Quality Strategy is drawn together and published. This should detail how air quality in the area will be continue to be monitored, maintained and improved in accordance with National Air Quality Objectives. To ensure that air quality remains a high profile issue and the Local Authority is able to respond quickly should there be any deterioration in local air quality conditions.
This will is currently being produced and when finalised will be published on this site.
Local Air Quality Management
We regularly review and assess air quality in our areas and determine whether or not the air quality objectives are likely to be achieved. This information is submitted to Defra in the form of Annual Status Reports.
Annual Status Reports for air quality in Plymouth
There are two monitoring stations operated in Plymouth as part of the DEFRA monitoring network;