Sheffield City Council has recently commissioned a new study to investigate how a Low Emission Strategy might improve air quality in Sheffield. This web site provides the project reports and papers from the study and relevant contacts.

Background

Some areas in Sheffield have poor air quality, which exceeds the
Government's health based objective for nitrogen dioxide (NO2). Following a consultation with stakeholders and the Clean Air Partnership, it is proposed that the whole of the City's urban area is designated as an Air Quality Management Area (AQMA). This will incorporate all the areas where residents are at risk of exposure to air pollution likely to exceed the national annual objective for nitrogen dioxide. Declaring the whole of the urban area as an AQMA means that tackling air quality issues can be addressed on a city-wide basis, rather than on local hotspots that could result in pollution being diverted to another part of Sheffield.

Emissions from road vehicles are responsible for most of this problem. A new approach is being considered to achieve the necessary reduction in pollution from vehicles across the city. Sheffield City Council has commissioned AEA Technology Environment and Transport & Travel Research to undertake a study. This work started in February 2006 and is due to report in the early summer.

This study will investigate the feasibility of introducing different options within a Low Emission Strategy for Sheffield. Low Emission Strategies have the overarching aim of reducing traffic emissions via the use of cleaner vehicles, rather than through demand management. The study aim is to determine how different options could contribute to meeting Sheffield’s air quality targets, and whether and how they might be implemented.

A range of different objectives will be examined that define emission standards and compliance years for different vehicle types. At the same time we will look at the options for achieving such objectives. For example:

• Voluntary, partnership or compulsory approaches might be used.
• Financial incentives and charges
• Traffic regulation orders or the development planning framework could be the agent through which schemes are set up.
• Some or all vehicle types could be involved.
• Different geographical areas could be defined.

One of the options being considered within the Strategy is for a Low Emission Zone (also known as an LEZ or Environmental Zone). These zones are already used in Sweden and are currently under consideration in other cities in the UK. These zones improve local air quality by discouraging high-polluting vehicles from certain areas, and encouraging vehicle owners to use cleaner vehicle technologies. Other options being considered include voluntary or partnership agreements and planning conditions. The study team is examining various possible scenarios for the strategy and zone(s) and considering the most effective combination of type of vehicles affected, emissions standards, geographic boundaries and types of scheme. The study will provide independent information on implementation, operation, air quality impact, socio-economic impact, transport impact, public acceptability, costs, and benefits. Other schemes we are considering include:

• Voluntary freight agreements
• Bus quality partnerships and corridors
• Parking management of all types

An important part of the study is to consider how the introduction of any Low Emission Strategy in Sheffield might affect the businesses, organisations and communities that live, work in and visit the Sheffield area. The study team is inviting feedback from a large number of stakeholders as we carry out this study and we will make our interim and final results available to all interested parties.

We are also organising a workshop on the 6th April in Sheffield to present a wide range of possible options for a Sheffield Low Emission Strategy, prior to detailed investigation of promising schemes. Further details on the workshop, and details for registration, will be available soon.

We would also encourage you to get in touch with the study team and express your views, hopes or concerns about a Low Emission Strategy in Sheffield. We very much value your input to this important study.

Paul Watkiss
Stakeholder Consultation Co-ordinator
paul_watkiss@btinternet.com

Gwyn Jones
Project Manager
AEA Technology Environment
gwyn.jones@aeat.co.uk