The newly established Air Quality Management Area Steering Group is seeking ideas from community groups on possible measures to improve air quality on the High Street. This is the community’s first opportunity to feed into this process. Linlithgow Community Development Trust is seeking your views!
A provisional list will be shortlisted by an independent consultant using a screening criteria for inclusion in a draft Action Plan. This will then be the subject of a full public consultation later in 2017.
Please post your ideas on our facebook page or email pamela@trust-linlithgow.org.uk by 30th November 2016.
Background
Air quality on Linlithgow’s High Street fails European air quality standards (as confirmed by this detailed air quality monitoring study). This required that the council declare an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA), which is now in place. Development of the statutory Action Plan is underway, funded by the Scottish Government.
In April the whole of Linlithgow was declared an Air Quality Management Area given the fundamental importance of the High Street to the town’s transport links.
On Linlithgow’s High Street real time monitoring will continue, and data from the monitoring site automatically populates the Scottish Government’s Air Quality website.
Friends of the Earth Scotland provide useful background information on air pollution.
Progress in 2016
An independent consultant, Ricardo, is now appointed to support the action planning process. They are also undertaking a detailed source apportionment analysis. This will identify the main sources of the air pollution.
In October West Lothian Council convened a steering group to oversee the statutory action planning process. The group includes representatives from Council Planning and Transport departments, Town Centre Management, plus Abellio ScotRail, Police Scotland, SEPA and Transport Scotland.
The meeting established a list of provisional action plan measures, and agreed to establish early contact with community groups to seek any additional ideas.
The steering group shall meet every 3 – 4 months. The next stage will be to short list measures through a screening criteria.
A dedicated Air Quality Management Area Linlithgow web page continues to be regularly updated.
Future Action
Working with the external consultants’ support, the steering group will develop a draft Air Quality Action Plan. Once approved by the Council the draft Action Plan will be subject to a public consultation. Following public consultation, consideration of feedback and Council approval, a final Action Plan will be published. After this Scottish Government and other funding will be sought to deliver the identified measures to improve air quality.
Aim is for a final Action Plan to be in place by December 2017.