Local Air Quality Management: Air Quality Management

Hastings Borough Council: Review and Assessment Summary

This document completes the process of reviewing and assessing the current, and predicting future, air quality of Hastings. This process was started in 1998 with an examination of the likely levels of all the major pollutants. This "stage one" process concluded, following a simple cautionary methodology, that there was the potential for levels of Nitrogen Dioxide (NO₂) and Particulate matter (PM₁₀) to exceed the government's objectives, for the year 2005, in some parts of Hastings.

This document therefore carries out a more detailed review and assessment of the current and predicted levels of these particular pollutants.

It concentrates its assessments on areas of the Borough that are likely to have the highest levels of pollution and where the local population are likely to be exposed to those pollutants for an appropriate period of time. The stage 1 review identified that such areas are those residential properties close to heavily trafficked areas, (i.e. vehicle flows in excess of 20,000 vehicles per day).

It considers in detail the levels of each pollutant, and the role that each source of each pollutant contributes to the total level. It uses increasingly sophisticated computer modelling techniques to make predictions of the level of the pollutants, and then compares and combines this information with results of current monitoring of pollution levels both within Hastings, and from other monitoring sites (where these sites are able to provide relevant data to the position in Hastings) elsewhere.

The document concludes that there is no cause for concern that any of the statutory objectives for these two pollutants will be breached in Hastings in the years 2004/5. (Since the publication of the Stage one review the guidance has brought forward the date for PM₁₀ compliance to 2004). However it must be noted that the predicted level, in 2004, for Particulate matter as it affects a number of properties on the Bexhill Road is very close to the level at which the council would have to use its powers to take action to reduce the level of this pollutant. Given this, and the fact that the predictions are heavily reliant on computer modelling and assumed general reductions of emissions, it is clear that any slight variation from these could result in levels being exceeded in 2004 at specific locations. As a result of this report the council will have to consider the need for further long term monitoring of particulates with the aim of improving its understanding of this pollutant on the Bexhill road.

The table below outlines the criteria for each pollutant studied and the methods used to decide what the likely levels of that pollutant will be in the years 2004/2005.

Finally it is important to acknowledge that this process will be repeated, prior to the year 2003, in order to confirm that these conclusions remain valid.

Summary of Stage 2

Other issues considered. NO₂: There are no new planned roads; there are no industrial sources of NO₂ affecting the borough and no potential for the combination of sources. PM10 :Domestic solid fuel, uncontrolled or fugitive emissions or combinations thereof are not an issue for the Borough. The nature of the Part A process potentially affecting the Borough is such that assessment of its potential affects must be undertaken at stage 3.

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