Issue - meetings

Guildford Borough Council designated an ‘air quality management area’ (AQMA) in Shalford in July 2019 and must now produce an Air Quality Action Plan (AQAP) which identifies measures to improve air quality within the AQMA.

The Guildford Joint Committee:

(i)               Approved a four-week consultation on the Air Quality Action Plan for Shalford Air Quality Management Area shown in Appendix 2.

Reasons for recommendation

To ensure the Council meets its statutory duties to adopt an Air Quality Action Plan along the A281 in Shalford.

Declarations of Interest: None

Officers attending: Justine Fuller, Regulatory Services Manager, Guildford Borough Council, and William Bryans, Transport Studies Team Manager, Surrey County Council

Petitions, Public Questions, Statements: None.

Member Discussion – key points:  

The possibility of a new Park & Ride site near Shalford was discussed. This idea is welcomed by Shalford residents and its potential positive impacts across a wider area beyond the village itself were acknowledged. Drop-in sessions are planned as part of the consultation period proposed in the report with the aim of canvassing views from residents on the various solutions proposed in the Action Plan.

With the boundaries of the Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) fixed in a small area it was suggested that by concentrating on resolving the issue in that area it would mean that the problem was moved along to a neighbouring area. A wider approach to air quality, looking at whole-town or borough issues, and implementing strategic interventions could have a better impact – for example planting trees and hedges to trap particulates. AQMAs are a statutory response to measured air quality, but non-statutory activity could be considered as well, and officers are considering modelling across wider areas. Currently there is a legal requirement to designate areas with poor air quality and to take action, and the priority is on those areas – in locations experiencing heavy traffic, for example – where people are exposed to high amounts of vehicular emisions.

The comment in Appx. 2 Table 5.1 (point 5) regarding Local Enterprise Partnership (LEP) funding for an electric vehicle charging network pilot project was clarified, with the update that the proposal and business case was under consideration by the LEP and a decision was expected within the next two weeks.

Resolved:

The Guildford Joint Committee:

(i)               Approved a four-week consultation on the Air Quality Action Plan for Shalford Air Quality Management Area shown in Appendix 2.

Reasons for recommendation

To ensure the Council meets its statutory duties to adopt an Air Quality Action Plan along the A281 in Shalford.