A. Simmons

Implementation of air quality management in urban areas within England - some evidence from current practice

The UK government is implementing a new system of air quality control, which is arguably the most stringent in Europe. Following the Environment Act 1995, the United Kingdom National Air Quality Strategy (1997) was published to provide a comprehensive framework for the strategic management of air quality. The Air Quality Regulations (1997) gave legal weight to standards and objectives for seven pollutants, which are to be achieved by 2005. Longhurst et al (1996) established a theoretical setting for Air Quality Management (AQM) in which the implementation of this legislation by local authorities could be tested. This paper will attempt to evaluate the early stages of the AQM process, by looking at evidence of current AQM practice in the UK. Data from local authorities including published information and the preliminary results from a questionnaire survey are included. The authors discuss the rate of implementation of the recent legislation and the indications of any possible barriers to the implementation of AQM in the UK. The results will be discussed in the context of legislation changes and the theoretical framework outlined by Longhurst et al (1996). It was concluded that most local authorities are still at a very early stage of the process. One of the possible barriers to the implementation of AQM in the UK is communication within local authorities.

Best practice in English Local Air Quality Management: principles illustrated by some examples of current practice

The Local Air Quality Management (LAQM) process, a holistic approach to management, is well underway in England. The process aims to tackle air pollution problems from a variety of diverse sources, operating over different time scales and spatial areas. Although technical guidance from the Government has been published over the last two years, little guidance has been available for the management aspects of the process. Arguably, the management of air quality will be the crucial test of the LAQM process. Only by collaboration can technologies and policy actions, such as traffic management schemes, be put into effective action. The authors present an overview of the process, including a model of current LAQM procedures in the

Communication and co-operation within and between local authorities - an attempt to quantify management practices and their effect on the air quality management process

Air quality management is being implemented in England according to the Environment Act 1995* and the UK National Air Quality Strategy* (NAQS). Being undertaken at a local level, it is designed to address air quality issues in a holistic way. One of the possible barriers to the successful implementation of the NAQS requirements is lack of communication within local authorities (Beattie et a?). This paper presents an analysis of the factors affecting this communication process. Issues identified as important include officer training, the influence of regional group support and the role of internal groups in facilitating or enhancing the communication process.

The UK National Air Quality Strategy: the effects of the proposed changes on Local Air Quality Management

The UK has implemented a system of Local Air Quality Management (LAQM) to tackle the many contemporary sources of air pollution, notably transport, industry and domestic fuel burning, in a holistic manner. The current legislation stems from the Environment Act 1995, which required a National Air Quality Strategy (NAQS) to be published outlining the Governments policies with respect to the assessment and management of air quality. The NAQS, originally published in March 1997, is on a rolling programme of reviews in order to reflect developments in European legislation, technological and scientific advances, improved air pollution modelling techniques and an increasingly better understanding of the economic and social issues involved. Following the first review (currently at consultation stage), this paper will

Implementation of air quality management in urban areas of England : the role of transport planning

The UK is implementing a system of air quality control as set out in the UK National Air Quality Strategy (NAQS). The Air Quality Regulations gave legal weight to standards and objectives for seven pollutants, which are to be achieved by 2005. Particularly in urban areas, transportation is the main contributor to all but one of those atmospheric pollutants. This paper examines the current role and integration of transportation planning within the Air Quality Management (AQM) process and assesses the extent to which AQM has been embraced by transportation planners. The paper presents results from questionnaire surveys to transportation planners undertaken in Spring 1998 as part of a wider survey of local authority AQM practice.

Progress With Integrating Air QualityManagement Into The Transport Policies AndProgrammes Of English County Government

The Environment Act 1995 and subsequent UK National Air Quality Strategy impose new duties on local authorities with regard to air quality. As transportation is the main contributor to all but one of the pollutants under review, transportation policy will be a key issue within the Air Quality Management (AQM) regime. The paper identifies and evaluates improvements in policy and practice of the transportation planning community with regards to AQM

Regional Developments In Air Quality Management (AQM) In The United Kingdom - Evidence From A Study Of South West England

The UK National Air Quality Strategy initiated by the Environment Act 1995 gives local authorities the duty to review and assess air quality in their areas with respect to objectives for a number of pollutants. In areas where the objectives are not likely to be met by 2005, the authority concerned will have to designate that part of its area as an Air Quality Management Area, incorporating an Action Plan setting out how the authority intends to achieve the objectives. This study investigates a sub-set of authorities in South West Transactions on Ecology and the Environment vol 21,