Local Air Quality Management: Air Quality Management Areas

Brighton and Hove City Council: Review and Assessment Summary

Air Quality Management Area re-declared (2007/8)

As a result of a further assessment with more detailed monitoring and modelling a larger Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) was declared in 2008. The monitored levels at more locations in the city indicated further exceedances of the Air Quality Objectives (AQO) for nitrogen dioxide (NO2) at more road locations in the city. For details of the AQMA map please see AQMA map. For more details fo these roads and what Brighton & Hove Council are doing about the declaration, lease click on the link below:

Click here for more details from the local authority website .

Air Quality Management Area Declared (2005)

The results from the detailed modelling assessment and the projected monitored data have indicated exceedances of the Air Quality Objectives (AQO) for nitrogen dioxide (NO2) at several road locations in Brighton. As a result Brighton & Hove Council have declared an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) along several road sections in Brighton.

Air Quality Review & Assessment

Stage 1

Review & Assessment The stage 1 review and assessment identified possible Part A Processes, Part B Processes, Road sections with traffic flows greater than 20,000 vehicles per day and current air quality monitored areas where the nitrogen dioxide levels are greater than 30 parts per billion. All these areas were forwarded to a stage 2 review and assessment concerning the pollutant nitrogen dioxide (NO2), carbon monoxide (CO), particulates (PM10) or benzene (C6H6).

Stage 2 Review & Assessment

Stage 2 r & a requires the use of a simple air quality forecasting model (DMRB Model) to ascertain whether the air quality objectives for each pollutant would be met. The DMRB model requires the input of traffic data and road/façade distance data. The resultant outputs were forecast figures for the above mentioned pollutants.

All the areas modelled with the DMRB, except for Lewes Road/Melbourne Street, were forecast to meet the air quality objectives. Lewes Road was forecast to just exceed the nitrogen dioxide objective so was forwarded to a stage 3 r & a. The Coast Road/West of Middle Street area was forecast to be only just below the objective level for particulates PM10 so this area was also taken to stage 3 r & a.The current monitoring results for the Grand Parade area are similar to those from the Lewes Road/ /Melbourne Street area. Even though this area was forecast to meet the objectives it was prudent to take this area to stage 3 r & a also.

Shoreham Power Station is due to be commissioned in the Autumn 2000. The worse case scenario NO2 stack emission figures were received by Brighton & Hove Council from South Coast Power. To use this data effectively, three areas of South Portslade that would be affected by the stack emissions, were taken to stage 3 r & a.

All the part B processes were eliminated from the staged review and assessment process at stage 2, following the technical guidance notes (TG04 appendix 3) published by the DETR(now DEFRA), as they are deemed not to have adverse effects on air quality.

Stage 3 Review & Assessment

At stage 3, an advanced sophisticated forecasting model is used. Brighton & Hove Council used the advanced model 'Breeze Roads'. This model requires input of more detailed traffic data, road section data, atmospheric weather data, background pollution data and ordnance survey base maps. The model has emission factor data incorporated within it and when used together with the input data the model forecasts the air quality against the objectives. The results from the model forecasts that all the areas modelled at stage 3 r & a will meet the air quality objectives. This means Brighton & Hove Council do not have to declare any Air Quality Management Areas and do not need to proceed further in this round of air quality reviews and assessments. This has been confirmed by the DETR(DEFRA) scrutinisers. This was due for completion by the end of 2003.

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