Subscribe to trusted local news
In a time of both misinformation and too much information, quality journalism is more crucial than ever. By subscribing, you can help us get the story right.
- Subscription costs less than £1 a week with an annual plan.
Already a subscriber? Log in here.
06
Sept 2024
Harrogate and Knaresborough air quality zones could be revoked
Two air quality management areas in the Harrogate district could be revoked next year if levels of nitrogen dioxide continue to fall.
North Yorkshire Council currently monitors air pollution on Bond End in Knaresborough and on Wetherby Road at the Woodlands junction in Harrogate.
Both management areas were introduced to review levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2), which are caused by traffic levels.
They were declared after beaching the legal limit of 40 micrograms of annual NO2 per cubic metre of air.
However, a council report says that both areas could be revoked in 2025 if a trend of declining levels of air pollution continues throughout this year.
The report says both sites have seen a steady decrease in pollution levels since 2019. The latest report shows both were on average 10% below the NO2 threshold in 2023.
It says:
Should the current trend of pollution compliance continue this year, the council will also be obliged to revoke the air quality management areas in Wetherby Road, Harrogate and Bond End, Knaresborough in 2025.
The measures come as part of the council’s air quality plan, which is expected to be discussed at a meeting on September 12.
The air quality management area on Bond End was introduced in 2010, while the Wetherby Road monitoring area has been in place since 2017.
The UK government requires local authorities to take action to improve areas with particularly bad air pollution.
In September 2018, North Yorkshire County Council replaced traffic lights at Bond End with a double mini-roundabout to reduce congestion and improve the flow of traffic.
A traffic queue on Wetherby Road in 2022.
Meanwhile, the council is also expected to revoke two air quality management areas on York Place in Knaresborough and Low and High Skellgate in Ripon this year.
Monitoring of NO2 has been in place on Skellgate in Ripon since 2010 and on York Place in Knaresborough since 2017.
As previously reported by the Stray Ferret, both areas have seen a consistent decline in levels of NO2 over the last five years.
Under its air quality plan, the council also intends to revoke two sites in Malton and Bedale.
1