Air quality

All people in North East Lincolnshire should enjoy good health and wellbeing. We have a statutory duty, under the Environmental Act 1995, to carry out regular reviews and assessments of local air quality. We are continually monitoring air quality within our borough.

Our Air Quality Strategy ensures air quality issues are considered in the wider decision making framework. We can provide continued improvement in local air quality conditions and secure future improvements.

Air quality management areas

What is an Air Quality Management Area?

Local authorities are required to continually review and assess air quality in their area. If there is a breach of an Air Quality Objective, then an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) has to be designated.The next stage of the review and assessment process requires North East Lincolnshire Council to produce an action plan under their statutory duties in Part IV of the Environment Act 1995. The purpose of the action plan is to provide the means through which the Council and other relevant organisations can deliver viable measures by consulting the local community and raising awareness of air pollution issues. The Action Plan needs to set out the measures we intend to take forward, the potential costs and benefits of these. North East Lincolnshire Council has one designated AQMA.

Air Quality Management Area Grimsby 2010

In September 2010 North East Lincolnshire Council declared an AQMA on Cleethorpe Road (numbers 100-176 and 103-177) Grimsby, for a breach in the nitrogen dioxide annual mean objective.

A Further Assessment was undertaken to establish the improvement in air quality that is required, and the extent to which different sources contribute to the pollution problem. In response to this North East Lincolnshire Council has drawn up an Air Quality Action Plan (AQAP) for the AQMA.

As the primary source of the pollution in the AQMA is from road traffic the AQAP considers various traffic-related measures to deliver improvements to air quality, extensive consultation has taken place with EQUANS who is responsible for the North East Lincolnshire third Local Transport Plan (LTP3) and a number of road schemes are being explored.

View the signed 2010 Grimsby Air Quality Management Order (PDF) .

Revoked Air Quality Management Area Immingham 2016

The data collated in the AQMA for the last few years concluded that the Council should revoke the AQMA and exercise the powers conferred on it by Section 83(2)(b) of the Environment Act 1995. This reduction in particulate pollution reflects the implementation of the Action Plan.

View the signed 2016 Immingham Revocation Order (PDF) .

Air quality reports

Annual assessments

Local Air Quality Management (LAQM) involves the annual assessment of local air quality in which a report is submitted to DEFRA for approval. This assessment process follows both of DEFRA’s Policy and Technical Guidance documents which provide a continuous framework for local authorities to carry out their statutory duties.

Our duties

These duties include the monitoring, assessment and review of air quality in their area to make sure that the health-based air quality objectives are met.

The report follows a check-list to identify which areas have changed since the last assessment was completed.

Reports

The reports focus on creating an action plan to improve in air quality. An Annual Status Report (ASR) is submitted in June each year. The ASR replaced the old Updating and Screening Assessments, Progress Reports, Detailed Assessments, Further Assessments and Action Plan Progress Reports.

Air quality focus

We continue to appraise air quality, but the focus is on:

nitrogen dioxide (NO₂)
particulate matter (PM₁₀)
sulphur dioxide (SO₂).
reducing levels of PM_2.5.

Report descriptions

Annual Status Report (ASR) – This is an annual report updating on any changes with regard to air quality and provides updated monitoring data. This is also borough wide.
Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) – If the local authority has evidence that the air quality objective would be breached then an AQMA would be declared.
Action Plan – Will identify how the breached air quality objective can be met.

Reports submitted and timetable for future reports

2019 – Annual Status Report – Borough wide – Approved
2019 – Action Plan for AQMA – Cleethorpe Road Grimsby – Consultation September 2019
2018 – Annual Status Report – Borough wide – Approved
2017 – Annual Status Report – Borough wide – Approved
2016 – Annual Status Report – Borough wide – Approved
2016 – Detailed Assessment – Grimsby – Approved
2015 – Updating and Screening Assessment – Borough wide – Approved
2014 – Progress Report – Borough wide – Approved
2013 – Action Plan Update – Cleethorpe Road, Grimsby – Approved
2013 – Progress Report – Borough wide – Approved
2012 – Action Plan – Cleethorpe Road, Grimsby – Approved
2012 – Updating and Screening Assessment – Borough wide – Approved
2012 – Further Assessment – Cleethorpe Road, Grimsby – Approved