Thank you for taking the time to read the proposed Air Quality Action Plan (AQAP) and respond to this consultation.
The new air quality action plan for East Hertfordshire will cover the period between 2024 and 2029 with the aim of improving air quality and reducing residents’ exposure to air pollution. It has been developed in recognition of the legal requirement on the local authority to meet air quality objective limits under Part IV of the Environment Act 1995 and relevant regulations made under that part and to meet the requirements of the Local Air Quality Management (LAQM) statutory process.
In this action plan we outline plans to effectively tackle air quality issues that are within our control. The plan recognises that the as a district council, we cannot achieve this alone and will rely on key stakeholders such as Hertfordshire County Council. We will continue to engage and work with a wide range of stakeholders, institutions and citizens, so that everyone can play their part.
The objective of the AQAP is to protect residents and those that work in or visit East Hertfordshire from the harmful impacts of poor air quality by reducing concentrations of NO2 to within legal limits or beyond, in all areas of the district where the population is at risk to exposure. Alongside this objective, East Herts Council is also committed to reducing levels of all pollutants in ambient air, with a focus on PM2.5.
In this air quality action plan, we outline how we propose to effectively tackle air quality issues within our control. However, we recognise that there are a large number of air quality policy areas that are outside of our influence, such as national or international vehicle emissions standards and so we will continue to work with regional and central government on policies and issues beyond East Herts Council’s direct influence.
The consultation will run for six weeks and close at 09:00-hrs on the 13 December 2023.
The proposed AQAP can be found on our website -
www.eastherts.gov.uk/about-east-herts-0/consultations-and-engagement