Third Round of Air Quality Review and Assessment 2006-2008

Herefordshire Council undertook its second updating and screening assessment exercise (USA) in April 2006, which reviewed and assessed the air quality across the entire county again. Following the approval from Defra, this was summarised in a report entitled "Updating and Screening Assessment or Air Quality in Herefordshire", dated April 2006.

This "Updating and Screening Assessment" confirmed that all the government objectives for air pollution are likely to be met across the county except at the Bargates area of Leominster and the A49 corridor in Hereford (both already designated as "Air Quality Management Areas"). In relation to Hereford, it found that the boundary of the area may need to be revised in the future.

However, the report also found that the nitrogen dioxide annual mean objective of 40ug/m3 (21ppb) is being exceeded along the A40/M50 corridor in south Herefordshire.

The April 2006 "Updating and Screening Assessment" therefore included a detailed assessment (D.A.) for this corridor and concluded that there is now a need to declare an air quality management area along the A40(T) from approximately Wilton Roundabout to Pencraig, although the exact extent of the boundary of this area is yet to be determined. Herefordshire Council is therefore consulting the public on this matter and would be grateful for any comments.

Defra has appraised and accepted both the 2006 "Updating and Screening Assessment" report and the 'Detailed Assessment' report contained within it. This report and it appendices can be seen by downloading from the document box below.

The data for nitrogen dioxide and other pollutants from 2006 onwards can also be found in the document box below.

In January 2008, Herefordshire Council released it Action Plan for Hereford City and this can be viewed on 'Action Plan' web page.

In April 2008, the Council then released its 'Annual Progress Report', summarising and interpreting the data and trends from 2000 to 2007. This report found that nitrogen dioxide levels are steadily rising over much of the county and continue to exceed the government's objective in Hereford, Leominster and the A40 corridor. This report can be found in the 'Resources Box' and in the 'Annual Air Quality Progress Reports' pages on this air quality web site.