Author(s)

J. H. Barnes, E. T. Hayes & J. W. S. Longhurst

Abstract

This research examines the role of Local Air Quality Management Action Planning in achieving the EU limit value for nitrogen dioxide (NO2) annual mean, focusing on those Air Quality Management Areas (AQMAs) declared in England before July 2005 for exceedences of the NO2 annual mean objective from road traffic sources. The paper describes the initial stages of the methodology, analysing the availability of Air Quality Action Plans (AQAPs) and annual mean NO2 monitoring data. The research finds an absence of government monitoring sites with adequate nitrogen dioxide data relative to the selected AQMAs, as well as an absence of AQAPs and annual progress reports. The paper concludes that Local Air Quality Management is insufficiently calibrated to provide adequate support to the achievement of the EU limit value for NO2 annual mean.

Keywords

LAQM, Action Plans, local government, NO2, air quality objectives, limit values, GIS.