Technical Notes 2022, Issue 127 - Revocation of Bearsden Air Quality Management Area (AQMA)

1. The purpose of this technical note is to advise Members of the Revocation of the Bearsden AQMA Order. The Order will be revoked as of 1st September 2022 and publicity in the form of a press release and social media article is planned.

2. In November 2021, a report was approved by Committee agreeing to revoke the Bearsden AQMA Order, agreeing that air quality monitoring would continue in Bearsden and throughout East Dunbartonshire, and agreeing that measures in the Bearsden Air Quality Action Plan would continue to be enforced and pursued as funding allows.

3. The Bearsden Air Quality Management Area Order was declared in 2011 following breaches of the Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) and Particles (PM10) annual mean objectives. The Bearsden Air Quality Action Plan introduced measures to help improve local air quality with many of the measures now complete and some measures ongoing.

4. Local air quality is measured continuously across East Dunbartonshire and reported on annually in the form of a published Annual Progress Report which is appraised by both the Scottish Government and Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA).  Guidance recommends that where pollutant levels have reduced and remain below the objective levels for at least three consecutive years, an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) Order should be revoked.  An appraisal letter sent on behalf of the Scottish Government to the Council in August 2018 confirmed that data across the majority of monitoring sites was far below objective levels for NO2 and PM10 annual mean (and had been for 5 years in many instances).  A letter from SEPA in October 2019 stated that, in its opinion, the Bearsden AQMA should be revoked.

5. A report proposing revocation of the Bearsden AQMA and including the necessary data and background information was appraised and approved by the Scottish Government and SEPA during 2021/2022. In view of evidence contained in the report, it was agreed that the Bearsden AQMA Order should be revoked. The report is based on ratified data from 2017, 2018 and 2019. The improvement in local air quality is of such magnitude that annual mean levels of NO2 and PM10 are now complying with the National Air Quality Strategy Objectives and have been for some time and as a consequence, this area of Bearsden no longer requires to be designated as an AQMA.  The improvement is not due to a single factor and will be due in part to improving emission standards of vehicles, improvements within the overall road network, various actions undertaken by the Council as part of the Air Quality Action Plan measures and an acknowledged overall decrease in pollutant levels observed across the UK over the last few years.

6. Consultation with statutory consultees yielded no adverse comments and the Bearsden AQMA Order has been signed by Legal Services and is due to be enacted as of 1st September 2022. An undertaking in writing has been given by the Scottish Government confirming that funding for monitoring sites within current AQMAs will continue to be offered after any revocations take place, to ensure that air quality improvements are maintained.

Further information on the Revocation of Bearsden AQMA Order is available from Evonne Bauer or from Clive Lewis, Community Protection Manager.