Central Ipswich pollution zone may go as air quality improves

Air quality has improved in part of central Ipswich, and a recommendation to remove its pollution-related designation goes before decision-makers next week. A new assessment by Ipswich Borough Council found that nitrogen dioxide levels in the area have stayed well below the national objective in recent years. Nitrogen dioxide is a pollutant associated with vehicle emissions.

What the assessment found

The assessment covers the area around College Street, Key Street, Salthouse Street, Fore Street, Star Lane, Neptune Square and Grimwade Street. Air quality there has improved steadily over the past seven years.

Councils are required to declare an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) where air pollution exceeds national objectives, and to work towards improving air quality there. Because the levels in this part of Ipswich have stayed well below the objective, the report recommends removing the designation.

The council’s executive is due to consider the report on Tuesday 3 November. If the recommendation is approved, around 80 homes and an estimated 154 residents would no longer be within a designated AQMA.

What has made the difference

The council says the improvement comes from several things working together. These include measures in its Air Quality Action Plan, delivered with partners across Suffolk, as well as advances in vehicle technology and changes in how people travel.

Actions delivered and supported by the council include:

• anti-idling campaigns
• School Streets projects
• investment in walking and cycling infrastructure
• moving the council’s own fleet to electric and ultra-low emission vehicles

Many of these are everyday changes, such as switching off an engine while parked, walking or cycling a short journey, or school-run habits. The assessment suggests they add up, alongside cleaner vehicles on the road.

Councillor George Lankester, Portfolio Holder for Communities, said the council was pleased to see the sustained improvement:

“Having nitrogen dioxide levels remain below the national objective is an encouraging sign of the progress being made.”

He added that the progress reflects many years of work by the council and its partners. He also credited improvements in vehicle technology, changes in how people travel, and the weight given to air quality in planning and development decisions.

Looking ahead

The council says the work is not finished. It will keep monitoring air quality across the borough so that any future issues are identified and dealt with. Councillor Lankester said the council would take action where needed to protect residents’ health.

The council also says it wants air quality to remain a key consideration as Ipswich grows. It is supporting the delivery of modern, energy-efficient homes and regeneration projects that contribute to a more sustainable town for current and future generations.

For people who live or work in the streets named in the assessment, nothing changes straight away. The designation stays in place unless the executive approves the recommendation. For everyone else, it shows that local and national measures, together with individual choices, can make a measurable difference to the air we breathe.

The council’s executive meets on Tuesday 3 November to consider the report. For more information, visit the council’s website at www.ipswich.gov.uk, or contact the press office at press.office@ipswich.gov.uk.

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