Last chance to have say on air quality action plan for Chichester district

This Thursday is Clean Air Day.
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So now is a good time for a reminder that there are less than two weeks left to have your say on Chichester District Council’s draft revised Air Quality Action Plan.

The plan – the third since 2008 – gives details of the four Air Quality Management Areas in the district and ways in which the council plans to tackle the issue.

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The consultation into the revised plan ends at midnight on June 28.

Rumbolds Hill in Midhurst is one of the district's air quality problem areasRumbolds Hill in Midhurst is one of the district's air quality problem areas
Rumbolds Hill in Midhurst is one of the district's air quality problem areas

Log on to the council’s Let’s Talk page – www.chichester.gov.uk/letstalkairquality – to take part.

The previous plans have led to schemes being introduced such as the Co-Wheels car club (www.co-wheels.org.uk), doubling the number of bike racks in the city centre and delivering policy for the integration of electric vehicles in the council fleet.

Air Quality Action Plans are legally required when an Air Quality Management Area has been declared.

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In Chichester, the three problem areas are Orchard Street, St Pancras, and the Stockbridge A27 roundabout, while Rumbolds Hill, in Midhurst, was added to the list in January 2020.

While any air quality issues are cause for concern, the plan said there had been ‘significant’ signs of improvement.

A report to a meeting of the cabinet said: “Air quality in the district has steadily improved in the last five years and the modelling predicts that this trend will continue.”

In Orchard Street and at the Stockbridge roundabout, things have improved so much that the plan recommends those Air Quality Management Areas be ‘undeclared’ and the Orchard Street air quality monitoring station decommissioned.

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Both St Pancras and Rumbold’s Hill are predicted to meet the UK’s Air Quality Standards by 2024.

The results of the consultation will be reported in late summer/autumn this year.

Alison Stevens, divisional manager for environment and health protection at CDC, said: “We’re really keen to hear people’s views on our suggestions and this consultation is a chance for residents, business owners, organisations and visitors to share their thoughts.

“There are many factors that contribute to the quality of the air we breathe, but as a council we are committed to doing all that we reasonably can to make our area a cleaner, safer and healthier place.

“I would urge everyone to take part in the survey, which only takes between five and ten minutes. Your voice matters and the feedback you give us will help us to shape our final plan.”