Poor air quality has been shown to be detrimental to health at concentrations similar to those seen in many parts of the UK. A series of reports have been produced by Sheffield City Council to investigate air quality throughout the City, including most recently the Stage 4 Review and Assessment report published in December 2002.

These reports forecast that annual average concentrations of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) will exceed the standard laid down in the national air quality strategy in designated Air Action Zones in two parts of Sheffield, the City Centre and areas around the M1. The largest contributions to NO2 levels in the two AAZs are from road traffic (for both the M1 and the city centre) and ‘area’ sources (for the city centre alone, covering the domestic, commercial, public and small industry sectors).

Further analysis by Sheffield’s Environmental Protection Service suggests that a reduction in emissions of oxides of nitrogen (NOx) in the two locations of around 30% will be required to meet the air quality objectives. :


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