Residents across South Ribble are benefiting from cleaner air after pollution levels in Leyland, Bamber Bridge, Lostock Hall and Walton-le-Dale remained well below national limits for the last 5 yrs.
As a result, South Ribble Borough Council has approved plans to remove the special air quality areas that were originally introduced to help tackle pollution in those locations.
The four Air Quality Management Areas being removed are:
- Leyland
- Bamber Bridge
- Lostock Hall
- Walton-le-Dale
Air Quality Management Areas are introduced when pollution levels exceed national standards and action is needed to improve air quality. The areas in South Ribble were first established between 2005 and 2017 to help address concerns over nitrogen dioxide levels. Following years of improvement, monitoring now shows pollution levels are consistently below the national objective.
Cleaner air can have a positive impact on people's health and wellbeing, helping to create healthier places to live, work and spend time outdoors.
The decision follows recommendations from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) after air quality monitoring showed pollution levels have remained well below national targets for a sustained period.
Councillor Kath Unsworth, Cabinet Member for Environment and Streetscene, said:
“This is fantastic news for all residents and a real milestone for our borough.
“The fact that pollution levels have remained below the national limits for several years is proof that our environmental efforts are paying off and because of that, South Ribble has become a healthier and cleaner place to live and work.
“Cleaner air benefits all of us. Whether you’re walking your dog, cycling through the borough and taking your children to the park we can all appreciate a cleaner South Ribble.
“We’re proud to have reached this point and we’ll continue working to make our local area a healthier and cleaner place for this generation and the next.”
While the Air Quality Management Areas will be removed, air quality monitoring will continue across South Ribble to ensure pollution levels remain low and to identify any future issues should they arise.
The decision forms part of the Council's wider commitment to creating greener, healthier communities and improving the local environment for residents across South Ribble.