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Air quality reports

Improving air quality on and around our network

Air quality reports

We are supporting the government’s delivery of the UK Nitrogen Dioxide (NO2) Plan.

The government’s Pollution Climate Mapping (PCM) model identifies sections of road where there is the potential for pollution levels to exceed the legal annual mean nitrogen dioxide (NO2) limit values.

This includes a number of locations on our strategic road network (SRN) in England.

The government has commissioned us to:

  • carry out more detailed examination of these locations
  • develop measures to improve air quality for those links confirmed as exceeding the limit value in the shortest possible time

We were initially commissioned to consider 101 PCM links (Commission 1) and subsequently a further seven PCM links (Commission 2).

Map of Pollution Climate Mapping (PCM) model links

We've created a map of Pollution Climate Mapping (PCM) model links on our SRN likely to exceed annual mean NO2 legal limits.

The map will help you identify PCM links you may be interested in.

Links are individually referenced. You can trace the references through the supporting technical information we have produced through each commission.

Air Quality Progress Update Report (July 2021)

Our latest assessment for each commission is summarised in an Air Quality Update Progress Report.

The report:

  • explains the outcome of the phased assessment approach
  • details which links we have assessed as meeting the NO2 limit value
  • sets out the action we will take to achieve compliance on those sites exceeding the NO2 limit value as quickly as possible

Supporting technical information

Here are the technical reports covering our assessment of the PCM links on our network.

As we progress through each phase we update baseline maps and audit reports to include our findings from earlier phases.

If you need help interpreting  this information, or to track down a particular document, please contact us at Airquality@highwaysengland.co.uk.

Commission 1

Commission 1 Phase 1 Air Quality Report

Going through to Phase 3 - indicative modelling suggests compliance


Audit Summary Report – 8348
Audit Summary Report – 16237
Audit Summary Report – 18061
Audit Summary Report – 26064
Audit Summary Report – 28018
Audit Summary Report – 28445
Audit Summary Report – 36296
Audit Summary Report – 47243
Audit Summary Report – 47964
Audit Summary Report – 56009
Audit Summary Report – 56058
Audit Summary Report – 57783
Audit Summary Report – 70007
Audit Summary Report – 73998
Audit Summary Report – 74456
Audit Summary Report – 74590
Audit Summary Report – 75235
Audit Summary Report – 75258
Audit Summary Report – 75259
Audit Summary Report – 75290
Audit Summary Report – 75422
Audit Summary Report – 77419
Audit Summary Report – 77484
Audit Summary Report – 80428
Audit Summary Report – 81006
Audit Summary Report – 81374
Audit Summary Report – 81388
Audit Summary Report – 99331
Audit Summary Report – 99332
Audit Summary Report – 99333
Audit Summary Report – 99335

Indicative modelling suggests compliance (without monitoring support)

Audit Summary Report – 8147
Audit Summary Report – 17961
Audit Summary Report – 26051
Audit Summary Report – 38230
Audit Summary Report – 46062
Audit Summary Report – 48707
Audit Summary Report – 56062

Indicative modelling suggests exceedance

Audit Summary Report – 6046
Audit Summary Report – 26017
Audit Summary Report – 27711
Audit Summary Report – 28015
Audit Summary Report – 28361
Audit Summary Report – 28772
Audit Summary Report – 36045
Audit Summary Report – 36063
Audit Summary Report – 56063
Audit Summary Report – 57832
Audit Summary Report – 70230
Audit Summary Report – 73318
Audit Summary Report – 73424
Audit Summary Report – 73773
Audit Summary Report – 73920
Audit Summary Report – 77006
Audit Summary Report – 77007
Audit Summary Report – 81007
Audit Summary Report – 81008
Audit Summary Report – 81178
Audit Summary Report – 99614
Audit Summary Report – 99631

Nottingham compliant – stop at Phase 2

Audit Summary Report – 17304 Nottingham
Audit Summary Report – 37416 Nottingham
Audit Summary Report – 56557 Nottingham

 

Going through to Phase 3 - indicative modelling suggests compliance 

PCM Link Details_8348 - Leeds
PCM Link Details_16237 – East Hampshire
PCM Link Details_18061 - Plymouth
PCM Link Details_ 26064 - Kirklees
PCM Link Details_ 28018 - Southampton
PCM Link Details_28445 - Haslingden
PCM Link Details_36296 - Havant
PCM Link Details_47243 – Newcastle Under Lyme
PCM Link Details_47964 - Haslingden
PCM Link Details_56009 - Leeds
PCM Link Details_56058 – Test Valley
PCM Link Details_57783 – Stoke-on-Trent
PCM Link Details_70007 – Stockton on Tees
PCM Link Details_73998 - Wiltshire
PCM Link Details_74456 - Derby
PCM Link Details_74590 - Oldham
PCM Link Details_ 75235 - Manchester
PCM Link Details_75258 - Southampton
PCM Link Details_75259 - Southampton
PCM Link Details_75290 - Sefton
PCM Link Details_75422 – Stoke-on-Trent
PCM Link Details_77419 - Northampton
PCM Link Details_77484 - Stafford
PCM Link Details_80428 - Gateshead
PCM Link Details_81006 - Durham
PCM Link Details_81374 - Plymouth
PCM Link Details_81388 - Leeds
PCM Link Details_99331 – Stoke-on-Trent
PCM Link Details_99332 – Stoke-on-Trent
PCM Link Details_99333 – Stoke-on-Trent
PCM Link Details_99335 – Stoke-on-Trent

Indicative modelling suggests compliance (without monitoring support)

PCM Link Details_8147 – Stoke-on-Trent
PCM Link Details_17961 – Stockton on Tees
PCM Link Details_26051 - Bolton
PCM Link Details_38230 – Stoke-on-Trent
PCM Link Details_46062 - Durham
PCM Link Details_48707 – Newcastle Upon Tyne
PCM Link Details_56062 – Cheshire West and Chester

Indicative modelling suggests exceedance 

PCM Link Details_6046 - Manchester
PCM Link Details_26017 - Dudley
PCM Link Details_27711 – West Midlands
PCM Link Details_28015 - Salford
PCM Link Details_28361 - Hull
PCM Link Details_28772 – Newcastle upon Tyne
PCM Link Details_36045 - Manchester
PCM Link Details_36063 – Cheshire West and Chester
PCM Link Details_56063 - Leeds
PCM Link Details_57832 - Hull
PCM Link Details_70230 - Birmingham
PCM Link Details_73318 - Rugby
PCM Link Details_73424 - Sandwell
PCM Link Details_73773 - Stockport
PCM Link Details_73920 - Sandwell
PCM Link Details_77006 - Oldham
PCM Link Details_77007 - Oldham
PCM Link Details_81007 - Durham
PCM Link Details_81008 - Durham
PCM Link Details_81178 – Stockton-on-Tees
PCM Link Details_99614 - Manchester
PCM Link Details_99631 - Portsmouth

Nottingham compliant – stop at Phase 2

PCM Link Details – 17304 Nottingham
PCM Link Details – 37416 Nottingham
PCM Link Details – 56557 Nottingham

Commission 2

PCM Link Evaluation Strategy

Following the agreement with the Joint Air Quality Unit (JAQU), a number of links have been identified as above the permissible levels.

We have developed an evaluation strategy to:

  • understand and report when each link is compliant
  • determine whether any mitigation is delivering the improvements
  • confirm when any mitigation can be removed whilst ensuring the section of the SRN remains compliant

Evaluation approach

  • Air quality monitoring to be deployed for all links confirmed as non-compliant and assessed within 10% of the limit value, i.e. (36-40µg/m³)
  • Monitoring to be deployed to at least one site as a minimum, but ideally three, alongside the SRN representative of qualifying feature(s) ​
  • Monitoring will continue for at least two years after the respective section of the SRN is modelled to come into compliance
  • Monitored concentrations will be evaluated at 6 month intervals, (allowing 2 months for tube analysis by the labs):
    • Mid-Year Review - End Aug Year – covering first 6 months
    • Annual Review and Report - End Feb Year – Calendar Year Annual Average ​
  • Removing mitigation will be recommended when concentrations are reported below 36µg/m³
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