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Home > Environment & Planning > Pollution > Pollution Control - Air Quality > Air Quality Action Plan

Air Quality Action Plan for Bath

Action Plan Measures

The adopted Air Quality Action Plan can be downloaded from the link on the right hand side of this page.

The actions identified to help improve air quality in Bath are listed below.  Some of these measures are already in progress:

Bath Transport Package which comprises a range of measures including: expansion of existing Park & Ride sites; a new Park & Ride to the east of the City; a Bus Rapid Transit route; Real Time Information for buses and new bus priority measures. As part of the Package, the Council recently consulted on proposals to introduce vehicle access restrictions on a number of City Streets, to create an environment where pedestrians and cyclists have priority and where public transport is free to move on Bath’s historic streets.
Cleveland Bridge area restrictions feasibility study.  A trial 18t environmental weight limit has been proposed to reduce HGVs on London Road and Bathwick Street.  This would apply to both direction turning movements between Bathwick Street and Beckford Road.  Work will continue on the feasibility of a Low Emission Zone.
To demonstrate the feasibility of hybrid diesel-electric double deck bus operation in the City of Bath.
Urban Freight Transhipment.  A trial scheme is in operation using the Bristol site at Avonmouth to reduce the number of large delivery vehicles entering central Bath.  At the facility, the goods are consolidated for onwards dispatch in a smaller electric vehicle.
Improved enforcement of Traffic Regulation Orders.  A variable message sign and automatic number plate recognition cameras at Upper Bristol Road/Windsor Bridge Road to discourage heavy goods vehicles from using the central A4 corridor where a traffic regulation order exists.
Public bicycle hire scheme in the city of Bath. The project is designed to encourage cycling and to improve the modal shift between the bicycle and private car, with consequential reductions in pollution, energy usage and traffic congestion.  The project will also provide an alternative form of transport, namely electric bicycles, to achieve a modal shift from the private car to the bicycle in Bath with consequential reductions in pollution, energy usage and traffic congestion.
Feasibility study and the subsequent installation of electric vehicle recharging point infrastructure. These are included in the bid for funding from the Local Sustainable Transport Fund.
Develop building emission assessment spreadsheet tool for emissions of nitric oxide and other pollutants from commercial buildings and introduce it as a requirement for inclusion in Air Quality Assessments in planning applications.
Review effectiveness of ECOStars Scheme in other authority areas and undertake a feasibility study into the introduction of an ECOStars scheme in Bath and North East Somerset and neighbouring authorities.
Review the vehicle fleets in terms of Euro emission standards, vehicle age, particulate traps and general specification.  Identify cleaner vehicles, emissions abatement technologies and related funding sources for their introduction.
Monitor and review the bus fleet age, specification and maintenance in Bath.  Identify and promote cleanest available vehicles.
Introduce a ‘Wayfinding and Information System’ for Bath, in connection with improved bus stop waiting environments in the Southgate area; and onboard public transport information.  The Bath Legible City project is essentially about revealing and presenting the City of Bath in a way that improves the experience of all the city‘s users.
Undertake a review of available retrofit technologies and fuel additives for exhaust emissions abatement and a promote use in vehicle fleets operating in Bath.
Support the implementation of traffic management measures for Rossiter Road and Widcombe Parade where traffic and air pollution dispersion modelling indicates that air quality will be improved.
Launch and maintain a website providing data and promotion of less polluting modes of transport and energy use.
Corporate Travel Plan

An informal public exhibition took place in the Guildhall on Wednesday 25 November 2009.  This was attended by a number of officers, key stakeholders and members of the public.  A leaflet and questionnaire was distributed to all addresses in the Air Quality Management Area.  The comments received at the meeting and during the consultation period informed the Final Air Quality Action Plan.

CONTENTS

1.               Executive summary

2.               Introduction

3.               Air Quality Management Area

4.               Monitoring

5.               Nitrogen Dioxide Source Apportionment

6.               Consultation

7.               Actions

8.               Targets and indicators

9.               Air Pollution Dispersion Modelling

10.             Actions Assessment

11.             Possible Future Actions

12.             References

13.             Glossary

Appendices

A         National Air Quality Objectives

B         Local Air Quality Management Process

C         Non-automatic Monitoring Site (diffusion tubes)

D         Consultation Leaflet and Questionnaire

E         DEFRA feedback

F         Traffic Regulation Condition case study

G         24hour traffic flows

H         Air Pollution Dispersion Model Verification

Annex 1 – Consultation Report

Executive Summary

This Action Plan has been developed in recognition of the legal requirement on the local authority to work towards air quality objectives under Part IV of the Environment Act 1995 and relevant regulations made under that part.

The Air Quality Action Plan for Bath was adopted by the Council in April 2011.

It has been developed at a time when a number of inter-related transport initiatives are at varying stages of development, including the Bath Transport Package; CIVITAS initiative; Pulteney Bridge restrictions; increases in City Centre parking charges; and the Greater Bristol Bus Network.

Bath and North East Somerset Council has adopted a target of 30% reduction in their own Carbon emissions on 2008 levels by 2014 and 45% for all emissions across the district by 2026.

Monitoring of air quality shows that the annual mean national objective for NO2 is being exceeded at a number of locations along main roads in Bath. This area was consulted on and the major road network area was declared as an Air Quality Management Area for NO2 in July 2008.

Walcot Terrace (just east of the Cleveland junction on London Road); London Road (Snow Hill); and St James’ Parade had an annual average concentration of nitrogen dioxide in excess of 60 µg/m3 in 2009 (the national air quality objectives set a standard of 40 µg/m3). Cleveland Place West; Bathwick Street; Broad Street; Somerset Street; The Paragon; Widcombe Parade; Somerset Street (east of Corn Street); Manvers Street; Wells Road (bottom); Kennet House; Morley Terrace; Windsor Bridge; Argyle Terrace and Beckford Road had annual average concentrations in excess of 50 µg/m3 in 2009.

The source apportionment shows road traffic contributes up to 92% of the total NOx concentration, with Heavy Duty Vehicles (HDV’s) contributing between 24 and 57.1%.  It is recommended therefore that the Action Plan should focus on measures that reduce emissions from HDV’s as the primary source of NOx emissions within Bath.

Contact Details for this page:

Team:

Environmental Monitoring

Address:

9-10 Bath Street, Bath, BA1 1SN

Phone:

01225 477557

Fax:

01225 477596

Email:

[email-masked]

Minicom:

n/a

Author:

Robin Spalding

Environment & Planning

Air Quality Action Plan

Air Quality Reports

Current Air Pollution Levels

Monitoring Air Pollution

Air Pollution and Your Health

Bath Air Quality Management Area

Consultation on Changes to the Bath Air Quality Management Area

Consultation on New Air Quality Management Area for Saltford

Grass Pollen Count

Helping to Reduce Air Pollution

Keynsham Air Quality Management Area

Pollen Monitoring

Smoke Control

Smokey Vehicles

A to Z
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z

Related Information

Public transport website

Related Documents

Bath Air Quality Action Plan February 2011.pdf

Other Websites

Environmental Protection UK

The Air Quality Management Resource Centre - University of the West of England

Department of Environment Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA)

The Air Quality Archive

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