Action to be taken on air quality monitoring

15 February 2013

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Following readings of Nitrogen Dioxide above the Government's National Objective in Anchor Hill, Knaphill, Woking Borough Council will work with Surrey County Council as the Highways Authority, to produce an Air Quality Action Plan, identifying steps to reduce Nitrogen Dioxide levels, a pollutant produced by vehicles.

Woking Borough Council regularly monitors air quality via 24 Nitrogen Dioxide tubes located throughout the Borough. Anchor Hill in Knaphill, which is used regularly by motorists, will be declared an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA), with a reading of 47.7 micrograms per cubic metre (ug/m³), and action will be taken to try to reduce these levels to meet the Government's National Objective of 40 ug/m³.

Cllr Beryl Hunwicks, Woking Borough Council's Portfolio Holder for Environmental Control, said: "The air quality within Woking Borough is monitored regularly and it's positive that generally, the air quality in the Borough is good. However, the reading in Anchor Hill is slightly higher than we would hope. Higher readings of Nitrogen Dioxide are often due to pollution from vehicles.

"It will be the first AQMA to be issued in the Borough and steps are being taken to ensure monitoring continues and air quality is improved."

The AQMA will incorporate the top of Anchor Hill, Knaphill, at the junction with Lower Guildford Road, Highclere Road and High Street, Knaphill. An additional tube has also been installed on Constitution Hill.

Woking Borough Council will continue to monitor the Nitrogen Dioxide tubes located across the Borough, and will discuss steps to try to reduce this high reading at a meeting of the Climate Change Working Group in March.

For more information, please contact Woking Borough Council's Environmental Health Team on 01483 755855 or visit www.woking.gov.uk/airquality