Local air quality management in England: review
Your views are invited on range of options to improve local air quality delivery.
The Environment Act 1995 and associated regulations established the local air quality management system (LAQM), under which all local authorities in England, Wales and Scotland are required to regularly review and assess air quality in their areas against objectives for several pollutants of particular concern for human health.
If this work indicates that any objective will not be achieved by the required date, the authority concerned must declare an air quality management area and produce an action plan outlining how it intends to tackle the issues identified.
LAQM has been in operation since 1997 but has not been comprehensively reviewed during that time. There is a consensus that such a review is overdue and that the system could be overhauled in a number of ways to increase its effectiveness in line with present challenges.
Air quality is devolved; this consultation is England only.