Stratford District Council declares Stratford town as an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA).

Stratford-on-Avon District Council has been monitoring air quality in the District for a number of years and trying to predict how it will change to ensure that we all have clean air to breathe.  

The Government has set a number of air quality objectives and these are likely to be met in most parts of the District.

However there are some hot-spots in Stratford-upon-Avon, Henley-in-Arden and Studley where the air pollutant Nitrogen Dioxide, generated locally mostly by vehicle emissions, has been found to be above recommended levels.

These likely breaches had already led the District Council to declare an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA) in Studley in 2006. A new AQMA, covering Stratford town, has just come into effect on 22nd January 2010 whilst the one covering Henley will follow shortly.

The District Council has undertaken consultation with local residents, businesses and other interested parties to decide on the boundary of the Stratford AQMA. The final area chosen includes the entire town and some adjoining areas.

A more detailed assessment of the area will take place during the next year. This will allow the District Council and key partners such as Warwickshire County Council, local residents and local businesses, to develop an action plan aimed at developing specific proposals to reduce pollution levels in the area.

Councillor Simon Jackson, Environment Portfolio Holder said: "The District Council will be taking positive steps to tackle an issue that has been identified as a possible problem.  We will do as much as we can to manage air quality in the town and elsewhere, to protect the health of both residents and visitors and to ensure that pollution levels drop below the relevant objectives."

"Together with our key partners, we will be starting work on an Action Plan as soon as possible. To help fund the measures identified in that Plan, we will be seeking financial contributions from any proposed new developments, unless of course such developments can be shown to have a beneficial overall effect on air quality."

A map of the Stratford AQMA can be seen at the District Councils Office in Church Street or on the councils website in the A-Z section, under the heading of Air Quality, where more information is available.