Care4Air

Local Air Quality Management Review Consultation

The review of LAQM is underway and the South Yorkshire Local Authorities, along with many others, responded to the now closed consultation.

The review included 4 options of make no changes, two options recommending some changes and finally a repeal of all Local Authority duties.

The favoured option for DEFRA was to match the current UK regulations with the European requirements. This option also suggested reducing reporting requirements and so monitoring requirements for local authorities and removing the need to declare or keep current Air Quality Management Areas (AQMAs).

An overview of the consultation can be found at;

https://consult.defra.gov.uk/communications/https-consult-defra-gov-uk-laqm_review

The idea was that this would save resources and local authorities would be able to consider air quality through other departments such as Public Health.

Many who responded to the consultation did not agree and for many it was a concern that air quality would not be dealt with locally, if it was not a statutory duty, and that the increasing evidence of the impact on health of air quality should result in more action being taken not less.

In South Yorkshire we thought that there was some merit in reducing the number of reports, but to keep the duties to monitor and declare AQMAs was important. It was also thought that more action needs to be taken to make improvements in the air quality, which is not improving as hoped.

The outcome of the review is expected in December.