Creating a fairer Salford by:
- Supporting improvements in air quality, particularly for communities near major roads that currently suffer the worst levels of pollution, and hence promoting better health and quality of life
26.1 Air pollution can be hugely harmful to human health. Public Health England estimates that 5% of deaths in Greater Manchester are attributable to long-term exposure to particulate air pollution, the same rate as for the country as a whole. This equated to approximately 1,200 deaths in Greater Manchester in 2016 [1]. The young, old and those with existing lung or other health conditions are particularly at risk, with the potential for reduced life expectancy [2]. Increasing temperatures can heighten the impact of air pollutants, and so climate change further raises the importance of addressing air quality issues.
26.2 Poor air quality in Salford is primarily associated with road transport, and hence this will need to be the focus for any solutions. The impacts are not only from exhaust emissions, but also particulates released by tyre and brake degradation. A number of roads in the city are likely to have levels of nitrogen dioxide in breach of legal limits beyond 2020 [3] and there is a broader issue of poor air quality along many other main roads that detract from health and quality of life. The integrated nature of the highway network means that these problems cannot be solved by Salford in isolation, and effective joint working will be required with other local authorities and Highways England within and beyond Greater Manchester. In addition to transport, industrial processes and energy generation can also contribute to poor air quality, and hence require appropriate controls.
Policy AQ1 - Air quality
A substantial improvement will be sought in Salford’s air quality, and particularly in air quality management areas, including by:
- Reducing emissions from road vehicles through a wide range of measures such as:
- Minimising the need to travel and maximising the ability to do so by walking, cycling and public transport
- Promoting the use of low and zero emission vehicles
- Investigating the potential for Clean Air Zones
- Supporting the electrification of rail lines through the city to reduce diesel emissions
- Carefully controlling industrial uses and energy generation schemes that could increase the emission of air pollutants
- Enhancing the green infrastructure network to assist in the absorption of air pollutants
- Designing the built environment to minimise the potential for air pollution to become trapped close to the ground
- Requiring development to minimise and mitigate pollution as far as practicable, both during the construction and operational phases of development
- Locating sensitive uses away from areas of high air pollution, and, where this is not possible, incorporating mechanical ventilation as appropriate
Monitoring
26.3 The main indicator that will be used to monitor this chapter is:
|
Indicator |
Target |
|---|---|
|
Area of the city within an air quality management area |
Significant decrease (2018-2037) |
References
[1] Public Health England (September 2018) Air Quality in Greater Manchester – from a Public Health Perspective
[2] Greater Manchester Combined Authority (October 2016) Climate Change and Low Emission Strategies’ Whole Place Implementation Plan for Greater Manchester (2016-2020), p.3