Basingstoke must act now to tackle illegal levels of pollution putting people’s health at risk according to an environmental action group.
Consistently high levels of air pollution in the UK resulted in the country’s referral to the European Court of Justice last week.
In March, the government told Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, through the 2017 UK plan for tackling roadside nitrogen dioxide concentrations, to carry out a feasibility study along a stretch of the A339.
Cabinet member for regulatory services and the environment, councillor Hayley Eachus said: “That assessment was based on 2015 traffic data before the improvements to the Black Dam roundabout were made.
“At the request of the government, we are currently carrying out feasibility studies and looking at what measures are required if we are still exceeding the limit on that stretch of the A339.”
Martin Heath from Basingstoke Transition Network said the government is acting “illegally by not making councils do much more to clean up their air”.
BTN placed 15 air quality monitors in and around Basingstoke last year and found illegal levels of nitrogen oxides in five locations.
Chineham pedestrian crossing (56.2ug/m3), Roman Road (55.1), Eastrop Roundabout (48.5), the Hospital (42.3) and Thornycroft roundabout (41) were all found to be above EU legal limits of 40ug/m3.
New Road, Winchester Road roundabout and Kempshott pedestrian crossing were all within two ug/m3 of the limit.
Mr Heath said: “We only put the monitors up for a month but it’s really strong evidence that we have a real problem in Basingstoke and we can’t just ignore it.
“The mere fact we’re finding air pollution in 15 locations around the town, where people are, indicates to me the council should be doing something about it.”
BTN presented eight recommendations to tackle air pollution to the communities, environment and partnerships committee in January.
Recommendations included increasing air monitoring, improving bus services rather than cutting them, and building air quality into planning decisions.
Cllr Eachus said: “We take our duty to monitor air quality seriously and take action if required to meet the national standards.
“Our 2017 local air quality management report did not identify any areas in the borough that exceeded national standards.”
Mr Heath added: “We do have a problem and we need to deal with it.”
The feasibility study will be completed by July 31 and an update provided for the environment committee meeting on June 27.
