Agenda item

Draft Air Quality Strategy

A report and presentation of the Interim Director of Consumer Protection and Market Operations.

Minutes:

The Committee received a report of the Interim Director of Consumer Protection and Markets Operations relative to the City Corporation’s Draft Air Quality Strategy.

 

The Air Quality Manager presented the report and supplemented this with a presentation to Members, slides for which were tabled at the meeting.

 

The Air Quality Manager highlighted that Air Pollution was very much a public health issue. The Presentation touched on the background and context of the strategy with the Air Quality Manager underlining that this was a statutory function for the organisation. She was pleased to report that there had been improvements in the City’s air quality which was now regularly monitored in many locations throughout the Square Mile. Members were informed that the City had been an Air Quality Management Area since 2001 and that an action plan around this had been in place since 2002, against which Officers regularly reported on progress.

 

The Air Quality Manager went on to report that Nitrogen dioxide and small particles were the pollutants of concern, the former being heavily associated with respiratory issues. The City, situated at the heart of London was affected in terms of air quality, by what happened in the surrounding boroughs. The City’s narrow streets and tall buildings also enabled pollutants to be ‘trapped’. Buses were a particular problem, as depicted by the Fleet Street area. However, Members were informed that positive steps were being taken here with the introduction of hybrid vehicles and electric single decker buses on City routes.

 

A Member questioned the increase in pollutants around the Barts Hospital site. The Air Quality Manager confirmed that this was a result of the movement of the sites power/energy plant which was very large in size. She confirmed that Officers were keen to explore this matter further with the hospital site’s management. The Deputy Chairman questioned whether certain filters could be installed within the plant to mitigate this or if something as straightforward as planting additional trees nearby to help absorb the additional pollutants might go so way to addressing the problem. The Air Quality Manager underlined that it was difficult for Officers to stipulate here. Members suggested that Officers should look to work with colleagues in planning to ensure that certain conditions were put on any new plants in terms of installing adequate filters going forward. The Air Quality Manager highlighted that, in previous years, there had been a promotion of the use of combined heat and power plants which tended to be the worst offenders. There was now, therefore, a conscious move away from this now. The Committee were of the view that their Chairman should be instructed to write to the Chief Executive of Barts regarding the City’s concerns around the relocation of their plant and question what they planned to do about its negative effects on air quality. The Town Clerk undertook to produce a draft of this and circulate to all Members for comment/input ahead of sending.

 

With regard to issues around Thames Street, the Deputy Chairman underlined that the City had previously pushed for this area to become a 20mph as opposed to a 30mph zone which would go some way to lowering the brake and tyre particulants emitted here. This had, however, been resisted by TfL. It was noted that small particles were particularly difficult to deal with. They were often affected by weather conditions and impacted in areas outside of where they were originally emitted.

 

The Air Quality Manager underlined that WHO guidelines around air pollution were much tighter than existing European Standards. She added that, at present, the City were working alongside London Councils on proposals for a private members bill to tackle air quality at a higher, more strategic, level. In the meantime, the organisation were doing a huge amount themselves to lower the City’s own impact in this area.

 

With regard to the draft strategy itself, Members were informed that this focused on 6 policy areas. The City were also keen to demonstrate leadership in this matter, co-ordinating London-wide action as well as cross Departmental action. Members were informed that there were specific plans in place for City based schools.

 

The Deputy Chairman questioned monitoring around the Sir John Cass school site and the fact that monitors were situated at the back of the school building. He suggested that a more suitable spot would be within the under 5 playground area at the front of the site which was located closer to the road. The Air Quality Manager confirmed that the school was a super site in terms of air quality monitoring and that, as such, there were monitors in various locations here. She also confirmed that the equipment used was very sophisticated and sensitive. Members were informed that Offices had successfully experimented with air filters within the school nursery and had actually found that there were lower levels of air pollution within the nursery playground than elsewhere/higher up in the building as it had been found that particulants were warm as they were emitted from vehicle exhausts and therefore tended to rise beyond the sunken, under 5’s playground area.

 

A Member questioned the number of vehicles at Smithfield Market that appeared to be exempt from regulations in this area. He referred specifically to refrigerated vehicles that tended to park up at the market site on Friday evenings and remain there for the duration of the weekend. He questioned whether parking here could be restricted to address this. The Deputy Chairman undertook to take up this matter with the Chairman of the Markets Committee. It was noted that a longer term solution to this problem would need to be considered as part of the markets relocation project.

 

Members went on to question proposals around the installation of Electric Vehicle charging points in the City. It was noted that initial proposals centered on a rapid charging hub for taxis for Baynard House car park and a taxi only charge point at Noble Street taxi rest rank. The Member questioned whether Officers felt that these would be sufficient. The Deputy Chairman suggested that the right approach would be to await demand and review the situation at a later date.

 

RESOLVED – That, Members note the content of the Air Quality Strategy and continue to provide support for reducing the impact of poor air quality on public health.  

Supporting documents: