Air Quality Action Plan

Summary of Air Quality Action Plan for public consultation

This Draft Air Quality Action Plan (AQAP) has been produced as part of Wyre Forest District Council’s statutory duties required by the Local Air Quality Management (LAQM) framework. It outlines the action the Council will take to improve air quality in the Wyre Forest district between 2024 and 2029.

Two Air Quality Management Areas (Welch Gate, Bewdley and Horsefair/Coventry Street, Kidderminster AQMAs) have been declared by Wyre Forest District Council due to exceedances of the annual mean objective (40 µg/m³) for nitrogen dioxide (NO₂), under terms of the Environment Act 1995. Therefore, measures contained within this plan focus on reducing emissions from sources of nitrogen dioxide pollution to achieve compliance with adopted UK Air Quality Standards Regulations and objectives.

Vehicles are the largest contributor to NO₂ pollution at local roadsides, contributing 80% of the total (on average). This means higher levels of NO₂ are typically focused in high traffic areas within urban centres (such as Kidderminster and Bewdley). Targeted local action, in addition to a national strategy, is therefore a key part of the solution to tackling NO₂ levels in the UK.

Air pollution is associated with several adverse health impacts. It is recognised as a contributing factor in the onset of heart disease and cancer. Additionally, air pollution particularly affects the most vulnerable in society: children and older people, and those with heart and lung conditions. Poor air quality is also often found in areas of highest deprivation. Wyre Forest District Council is committed to reducing poor air quality in order to improve people’s health & well-being.

Wyre Forest District Council’s priorities for this AQAP are:

• Priority 1 - Reducing Emissions from Transport
• Priority 2 - Public Health and Well-being
• Priority 3 – Sustainable Travel and Transport
• Priority 4 – Planning for Future Development

The proposed actions to improve Air Quality in the Wyre Forest District are:

• Installation of public Electric Vehicle charging points
• Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) for residential off-street parking
• A Worcestershire Electric Vehicle Charging Strategy to support LEVI
• Electric Vehicle charging on NHS estate car parks
• Encouraging awareness via public access to real time monitoring data
• Improvements to the local bus fleet and services
• Development of a Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP)
• Air quality improvements from New Development
• Local community engagement
• Development and implementation of Travel Plans for NHS sites
• North West Worcestershire Corridor (NWWC) network improvements
• Raising awareness of air pollution and positive actions through annual events
• Contributing to formation of a countywide AQ Strategy Communications Plan
• Encouraging awareness and behavioural change interventions linked to focussed real time monitoring data
• Promotion of sustainable travel choices
• Electrification of WFDC depot enabling transition to ultra-low emission fleet
• Taxi fleet improvement via upgraded vehicle licensing requirements
• Encourage and support sustainable modes of transport to schools and ModeSHIFT star accreditation
• Introduction of a Demand Response Travel service
• Upgrade the Local Authority’s Refuse Collection Vehicles (RCV) fleet

The full version of the draft Air Quality Action Plan is available to review and download from Worcestershire Regulatory Services.

Consultation closed.

Following completion of the consultation period, all comments received will be considered fully and reported back to WFDC Cabinet ahead of final publication and submission to Government in April 2025.