Concern grows over town centre pollution
West Berkshire Council will not meet deadline set to tackle pollution levels in Newbury
HARMFUL gases continue to pollute the environment at a heavily-congested Newbury junction - several years after it was first found to exceed prescribed Government levels.
And next month, a deadline imposed to force West Berkshire Council to come up with solutions to tackle the pollution problem at the junction of the A339/A343 and Greenham Road in Newbury will pass without a plan being put in place.
The junction (the Burger King roundabout) was declared an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) by West Berkshire Council in May 2009, after the average nitrogen dioxide (NO2) levels in the area were found to exceed the government targets.
Monitoring data showed that in 2008, the average nitrogen dioxide concentration at the junction was more than a third above government targets of 40 micrograms per cubic metre, while on 61 occasions during morning and evening rush hours, the levels exceeded the government's hourly target.
And although figures for 2010 show a slight reduction, the district council has been criticised for, as yet, failing to formally agree an action plan to reduce the pollution levels within the 18 month deadline set by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).
The council will, by its own admission, fail to deliver the plan by the November 12 deadline, as a meeting of the council's Transport Policy Task Group will not take place until November 25, when feedback from a recent public consultation will be given to council members.
But with rising traffic levels in the town, particularly with new developments such as Parkway and up to 1,500 homes at Newbury Racecourse, concerns is growing among local residents and councillors.
Ward member Roger Hunneman (Lib Dem, Victoria) said he was really disappointed with the council's “glacial speed.”
He said: “I am genuinely frustrated about this and it seems to be the bureaucratic process.
“I am as annoyed as anyone else at the length of time this is taking - it has been going on for years.”
Mr Hunneman added that action was needed urgently to stop people being exposed to such high pollution levels, which NHS Berkshire West spokesman, Richard McCrann, said can make certain illnesses, such as asthma, worse in some people.
Mr McCrann said: “When pollution in the UK is classed as ‘high' or ‘very high', levels of ozone, nitrogen dioxide and particles may be raised.
“Most people will experience no ill effects. Those suffering from lung diseases, including asthma, particularly in the elderly, should be aware that their symptoms might worsen.”
Earlier this year, West Berkshire's executive member for the environment, Hilary Cole (Con, Chieveley) said the Newbury pollution was a serious problem, adding that the issues were unlikely to be resolved by the council in isolation.
Several options have previously been mooted to help reduce pollution, including reducing annual average daily traffic - potentially via a park and ride scheme - reducing the number of commercial vehicles using the road by directing them to the Newtown straight/A34 and the possible installation of traffic lights.
Responding to the criticism, council spokesman Phil Spray said a high level of technical work had been undertaken by the council, alongside consultation with professionals, business and the wider public to ensure that any action plan was “sensible and achievable”.
He argued that there was no legal requirement for the council to complete an action plan within a given time frame, adding that, wherever possible, guidance issued by Defra had been followed.
According to the Defra website's Frequently Asked Questions, “local authorities are not legally obliged to achieve the national air quality objectives,” although “they are, however, required to work towards the objectives by drawing up action plans setting out the measures they intend to take in pursuit of them.”
