Clean Air Day - 15 June 2023

Stratford-on-Avon District Council is supporting the national campaign for Clean Air Day.

Clean Air Day, the UK's largest campaign on air pollution is taking place next Thursday 15 June and this year's theme is - "Clean up our air to look after your mind this #CleanAirDay". 

The campaign is focusing on the fact that cleaning up our air is good for us in many ways: it not only benefits our physical health and the environment but can also protect our mental and brain health.

Improving air quality is a priority for the District Council and is a really important part of the work being done to tackle the climate emergency. Key polices in the Core Strategy reflect the District Council's Vision for Air Quality: to encourage well designed sustainable development that reduces emissions and exposure to pollution and contributes to better air quality management.

The District Council monitors Nitrogen Dioxide (N02), a key traffic pollutant, at 17 locations on a monthly basis. Additionally, there are three stations providing daily air quality data for a range of pollutants at key hotspots.  Data from the monitors can be viewed at: Air Quality Monitors | Stratford-on-Avon District Council.

Cllr Lorraine Grocott, Environmental and Neighbourhood Services Portfolio says: "The wellbeing of our residents and visitors around Stratford-on-Avon District is of paramount importance. Our officers work tirelessly to monitor air quality throughout the District and I welcome any initiative, such as Clean Air Day to help them by raising public awareness."

Whilst air quality in Stratford-on-Avon District is generally good, the District Council aims to improve air quality through its Development Requirements Supplementary Planning Document, a document that provides additional guidance of a number of polices within the Core Strategy and sets out circumstances in which Air Quality Assessments will be required for proposals for new development.

One small step the District Council also encourages residents to take, is to use the domestic garden waste collection service or to take waste to the tip instead of having garden bonfires, and to use the right fuels in their domestic fire and stoves - DEFRA Burn Better Campaign for open fire or multi fuel stove (solidfuel.co.uk)

The Warwickshire Local Transport Plan provides a comprehensive area strategy for Stratford-on-Avon District with particular emphasis on encouraging a greater use of more sustainable forms of transport and reducing the environmental impact of traffic across the District, as well as reducing the dominance of vehicular traffic in Stratford-upon-Avon town centre and improving air quality within existing Air Quality Management Areas (AQMAs).

As a District Council, Stratford-on-Avon has declared a climate emergency to become net-zero carbon as an organisation by 2025, and by 2030 seeks to reduce the total emissions in Stratford-on-Avon District as a whole by at least 55% as a stepping stone to becoming a net zero District.

To help meet these targets and support improvements in air quality, a significant amount of work has been taking place on specific areas including: contracts and procurement; energy in buildings; green infrastructure; planning' reducing single use plastic and transport.

Some of the initiatives include additional electric vehicle charging points in the District, energy efficiency improvements in Council buildings and insulation for low-income households.

For further details about the individual areas of work please visit: Work so far on the Climate Emergency | Stratford-on-Avon District Council

Improving air quality also requires individuals and organisations across the District to take their own action. Starting the journey towards improved air quality could be as simple as making a pledge for Clean Air Day and there are lots of simple changes that can be made that will have a positive impact on air quality and help to protect the health of everyone in the District.

Pledges could include going vehicle free on 15 June, avoiding ordering non-essential deliveries on this date or pledging to only buy local. Pledges can start with one day, but people are also asked to consider long-term changes to inspire real change.

Cllr Susan Juned, Leader of Stratford-on-Avon District Council says: "Air pollution issues affect all of us and we all have a part to play in improving air quality and protecting our own health and the health of those around us.

"Clean Air Day is an opportunity to think about your own actions and how small changes could make a big difference.  What can start as a pledge for Clean Air Day, could become a permanent change for the better and support a healthier future for everyone."

To find out more about Clean Air Day, visit https://www.cleanairday.org.uk/

There's also the opportunity to use the Personal Air Pollution Calculator to work out your individual contribution to air pollution in the UK, and find out what you can do to reduce emissions and protect your health: https://calculator.cleanairhub.org.uk/quiz

Organisers of Clean Air Day want to use this day to support the public to:

• Learn: find out more about how air pollution impacts our mental, physical and planet's health.
• Act: walk, wheel or use public transport to reduce your exposure and contribution to air pollution. If you drive, try leaving the car behind on Clean Air Day and one day every week.
• Ask: get in touch with your local decision maker to ask them to support clean air measures that make it easier for you to breathe clean air.

Learn more about Clean Air Day at www.cleanairday.org.uk

Notes to editors

• In July 2019, Stratford-on-Avon District Council declared a 'Climate Emergency' with councillors pledging to take local action to contribute to national carbon neutral targets through the development of practices and policies, with an aim to being carbon neutral in the District by 2030.
• Policies AS.1 and AS.8 in the Core Strategy reflect Stratford-on-Avon District Council's Vision for Air Quality