Recalibrating The United Kingdom’s
Local Air Quality Management Regime
To Deliver Desired Goals
Author(s)
J. W. S. Longhurst, J. Barnes, T. J. Chatterton, E. T. Hayes,
J. G. Irwin & A. O. Olowoporoku
Abstract
The UK has operated a sophisticated Local Air Quality Management (LAQM)
regime since 1997. This comprises two distinct phases: Review and Assessment
and Action Planning. The Review and Assessment is the diagnostic phase and
concludes with declaration of an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) where
Air Quality Objectives (AQOs) are exceeded, which then initiates the Air
Quality Action Plan intended to provide solutions to the identified problems.
More than half of UK local authorities have one or more AQMAs. Air Quality
Action Plans are expected to define measures and timescales by which air quality
in the AQMA will comply with AQOs. The main source of the air quality
exceedence is traffic-related NO2 or PM10. The Review and Assessment phase is
effective at diagnosing air quality problems but the Air Quality Action Plan
phase cannot yet be judged to be a successful policy intervention. Local
authorities have limited powers to initiate direct actions amid concerns about the
political impact of measures that will the process affect the car-driving public. In
such circumstances local authorities have been unable to get traction on air
quality management problems. Central to the LAQM regime is the division of
responsibility between central government and local government. Whilst LAQM
is a local responsibility, central government’s has an overarching role in
controlling the regime through framing the process, defining national goals,
setting strategic directions, and ensuring appropriate resourcing for national and
local actions. Despite this national process guidance and direction local
authorities are failing to achieve local air quality improvements at the rate
expected when LAQM was introduced.
Keywords
Environment Act 1995, air quality management, diagnosis, solutions, United Kingdom
Related Book
Other papers in this volume
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