Local environmental campaigners have raised concerns over Wiltshire Council’s announcement that air quality targets have been met in Westbury and across the county.
The council recently declared that all eight of Wiltshire’s Air Quality Management Areas (AQMAs) have now “reached compliant levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2)”, calling it a “major milestone for public health and the environment”.
However, members of the Westbury Gasification Action Group (WGAG) and the #NoWestburyIncinerator campaign say the picture is far less clear and that now is not the time to relax concerns about local air quality, particularly with the proposed Westbury incinerator still a major issue for the town.
Campaigners have questioned the basis of the council’s data, pointing out that it largely focuses on nitrogen dioxide – a pollutant mainly linked to traffic – and does not account for other harmful substances such as PM2.5, fine particulate matter associated with an increased risk of cancer and respiratory disease.
Wiltshire Council said it continues to invest in technology to measure other pollutants such as PM2.5, and that a new automatic monitoring station is planned for Westbury to track nitrogen oxide and fine particulates. But the council has not yet confirmed where or when the new station will be installed.
WGAG has called for greater transparency. The group wants air quality data to be made fully available and for baseline levels to be published annually. “There are many questions regarding the AQMA claims that need answers!” said the group.
Wiltshire Council’s statement acknowledges growing public concern about PM2.5, and its Wiltshire Community Air Network, launched earlier this year, has a particular focus on fine particulates.
WGAG warns that the government’s legal limit for NO2 (40µg/m³) is based on an older EU directive, whereas the World Health Organisation’s updated guideline – 10µg/m³ – is four times stricter.
It comes as other councils move towards adopting more stringent air quality targets. Oxford City Council, for example, already has a target of 30µg/m³, which it is on track to achieve this year, and last month set a new target of 20µg/m³ by 2030, half the limit used by Wiltshire Council.
WGAG says relying on outdated standards could mislead the public about the true state of Westbury’s air, adding that the community deserves clear, verifiable answers.
Cllr Paul Sample JP, Cabinet Member for Environment, Climate and Waste at Wiltshire Council, said, “No-one wants to breathe polluted air. That’s why Wiltshire Council monitors air quality in line with national requirements. We publish an Air Quality Status Report annually. This is publicly available online. It includes data for locations across the county, including Westbury.
“Recent data shows that all eight of Wiltshire’s Air Quality Management Areas are now compliant with national nitrogen dioxide (NO2) limits. This is a significant environmental and public health milestone.
“However, we recognise that nitrogen dioxide is only part of the picture. Wiltshire Council continues to invest in, and monitor, new technology to measure other pollutants such as fine particulate matter (PM2.5).
“The council’s Wiltshire Community Air Network project will see the installation of new sensors capable of monitoring PM2.5 in real time. The data will be made publicly available online. This will give residents a greater understanding of local air quality in their area. It will also help us plan long-term action to reduce pollution.
“We are planning to install a new automatic monitoring station in Westbury. This will monitor nitrogen oxide and fine particulates. It will complement recent upgrades to monitoring equipment elsewhere in Wiltshire.
“The data gathered will directly support the council’s ongoing Air Quality Action Plan and Supplementary Planning Document. It will ensure future decisions on development and infrastructure continue to improve air quality across the county.”
Pictured: the busy A350 through the town
