Air quality management
Air quality reports
2024-2029 Air Quality Action Plan
The borough council is currently preparing an update to its current published Air Quality Action Plan. It is anticipated that this will be completed for consultation by late Summer 2024.
2024 Annual Status Report
This report is due to be reported to DEFRA by the end of June 2024. A copy of this report, based on data gathered for the 2023 calendar year will appear here once completed. Monitoring data will also be made available as an excel file.
Little Madeley AQMA revocation
The Little Madeley AQMA was approved for revocation by the council’s Public Protection and Licensing Committee in September2023.
2023 Annual Status Report
This report is based on data gathered for the 2022 calendar year. Monitoring showed a decreasing trend but a number of areas had levels of Nitrogen Dioxide (N02) above the annual mean objective level, this is mainly caused by road traffic. There were 3 areas in Newcastle that would remain Air Quality Management Areas, whilst it is proposed to revoke 1 Air Quality Management Area at Little Madeley as this has been complaint for the previous five years.
Download the 2023 report and suppporting documents
2022 Annual Status Report
This report is based on data gathered for the 2021 calendar year. Monitoring showed a decreasing trend but a number of areas had levels of Nitrogen Dioxide (N02) above the annual mean objective level, this is mainly caused by road traffic. There were 3 areas in Newcastle that would remain Air Quality Management Areas, whilst it is proposed to revoke 1 Air Quality Management Area at Little Madeley as this has been complaint for the previous five years.
This report is currently awaiting formal appraisal by DEFRA. We will publish their appraisal letter and our response in due course.
2021
This report is based on data gathered for the 2020 calendar year. Monitoring showed a decreasing trend but a number of areas had levels of Nitrogen Dioxide (N02) above the annual mean objective level, this is mainly caused by road traffic. There were 3 areas in Newcastle that would remain Air Quality Management Areas, whilst it is proposed to revoke 1 Air Quality Management Area at Little Madeley as this has been complaint for the previous five years.
This report is currently awaiting formal appraisal by DEFRA. We will publish their appraisal letter and our response in due course.
We hope to formally consult on the revocation of the Little Madeley AQMA over Summer 2022 and will submit a report for consideration by the Council’s Public Protection Committee in Autumn 2022, prior to submission for approval to DEFRA, as required by law.
We have also provided a public summary of this report.
Download the 2021 report and summary
2020
This report is based on data gathered for the 2019 calendar year. Monitoring showed a decreasing trend but a number of areas had levels of N02 above the annual mean objective level. There were 4 areas in Newcastle town that would remain Air Quality Management Areas.
Members asked about the impact of Covid-19 which had seen reduced traffic levels. The Head of Environmental Health said it was assumed that levels would return to their pre Covid-19 level as seen in other areas of the country.
2019
This report is based on data gathered for the 2018 calendar year. It identifies improvements in the levels of Nitrogen Dioxide. However there are still areas which exceed the annual mean objective and we will maintain the AQMAs. Progress on delivery of Air Quality Action Plan measures is also detailed.
The appendices include details of monitoring data for monitoring undertaken across the borough during the 2019 calendar year.
2018
This report is based on data gathered for the 2017 calendar year. It identifies improvements in the levels of Nitrogen Dioxide. However there are still areas which exceed the annual mean objective and we will maintain the AQMAs.
The appendices include details of monitoring data for monitoring undertaken across the borough during the 2018 calendar year.
2017
This report is based on data gathered for the 2016 calendar year. It identifies improvements in the levels of Nitrogen Dioxide. However there are still areas which exceed the annual mean objective and we will maintain the AQMAs.
2016
This report is based on data gathered for the 2015 calendar year. It identifies improvements in the levels of Nitrogen Dioxide. However there are still areas which exceed the annual mean objective and we will maintain the AQMAs. The report also discusses for the first time the level of PM2.5 and the impact on health.
2015
This report is based on data gathered for the 2014 calendar year. It identifies exceedances of the Nitrogen Dioxide annual mean objective within the declared Air Quality Management Areas.
2014
This report confirms that there are higher levels of nitrogen dioxide than the annual mean in four areas of the borough. These are: Madeley (M6 motorway), Kidsgrove (A50 - Liverpool Road), Newcastle Town Centre (A34 Northbound - London Road); Newcastle Town Centre (A53 - King Street), Porthill (A527).
2013
Combined detail report and further assessment
A combined detailed assessment with further assessment was carried out based on results from 2012 to determine the AQMA boundaries.
This report confirms that there are higher levels of nitrogen dioxide than the annual mean in four areas of the borough. These are: Madeley (M6 motorway) Kidsgrove (A50 - Liverpool Road) Newcastle Town Centre (A34 Northbound - London Road); Newcastle Town Centre (A53 - King Street), Porthill (A527).
Download the 2013 combined detail report
Progress report
The report identified five geographical areas where the annual mean objective of nitrogen dioxide was exceeded. These are: Newcastle-under-Lyme Town Centre, Kidsgrove and Porthill. These areas were considered in the 2013 Combined Detailed and Further Assessment to determine the AQMA boundaries.