Oxford Council set ambitious targets in air pollution plan

A Draft air quality action plan published by Oxford City Council has included ambitious targets for their annual mean concentration of nitrogen dioxide (NO2).

By 2025 they want to limit the amount of NO2 levels across the city to 30µg/m3. Such a target surpasses the legally binding national goals set by Government in the National Clean Air Strategy which sets an annual mean concentration of NO2 to 40 µg/m3 by 2025.

In what is thought to be the first move of its kind by a Council in the country, Oxford City Council said they believed the Government national target of 40 µg/m3 for NO2 was 'not safe'. They believe that lockdown gave them an opportunity to be ambitious and drive forward action in air quality, saying their proposals are 'both stretching and realistically achievable'.

The plan covers four key areas that will help them drive towards this target:

• developing partnerships and improving public education;
• supporting the uptake of low-emission and zero-emission vehicles;
• reducing industry emissions as well as emissions from services and domestic heating; and
• encouraging change in transport by reducing the need to travel in the first instance and increasing public transport use.

Greenpeace UK and Friends of the Earth worked with Oxford City Council to help develop the plan and subject to consultations it is hoped the plan will come into effect in 2021.

Deputy leader of Oxford City Council, Tom Hayes commented: ''By setting a stricter target than the Government's own target, we believe we are doubling down on our commitment to clean air, public health and social justice.''