Air quality

Local Air Quality Management

Part IV of the Environment Act 1995 requires local authorities in the UK to adopt Local Air Quality Management (LAQM) process to review and assess air quality in their areas, and designate air quality management areas (AQMA) if improvements are necessary. Where an AQMA is designated, local authorities are required to develop an air quality action plan to reduce pollution and achieve air quality limit values at local value.

The borough of Surrey Heath is situated in the southeast of England to the southwest of London and the main air quality issues are associated with the emission of pollutants from road traffic, in particular the M3 motorway. Except for road traffic, there are no other significant sources of local emissions within the Borough. The principal air pollutants of concern in Surrey Heath are NO2 and PM10.

In 2002 an Air Quality Management Areas (AQMA) was declared, as monitoring results from previous years indicated that the exceedances of the annual mean objective for NO2 was likely. The initial AQMA was set along M3, between the Frimley flyover and the Ravenswood roundabout (A325). It was extended in both direction the following year, following a more detailed assessment.

The AQMA areas declared by Surrey Heath are shown on this map:

Objectives declared by Surrey Heath for this AQMA were

• NO2 Annual Mean (current Objective is 40 µg/m3)
• PM10 24-Hour Mean (current Objective in England is 50 µg/m3 not to be exceeded more than 35 times a year)

Following the declaration of AQMA, an Air Quality Action Plan was developed which set out the measures to address air quality issues within the borough and to meet air quality objectives. In the mid 2010s, Highway England commenced the M3 upgrade, and work in Surrey Heath completed in 2017. Existing monitoring data appear to indicate the upgrade has improved air quality at locations near to the M3.

Air quality monitoring in Surrey Heath

SHBC monitors NO2 and PM10 at our mobile automatic monitoring station situated in Castle Road, Camberley, approximately 20m north of the M3. Real time monitoring results and historic data are available on the UK Air Quality website(external link).

In addition, Environmental Health monitors NO2 concentrations using diffusion tubes across a network which has recently been expanded to 53 locations, including one triplicate site co-located with the automatic monitoring station at Castle Road. The grid references of all our monitoring locations, and the results obtained at each monitoring sites, are stated in our Air Quality Annual Status Reports.

In 2020 the annual mean NO2 concentration, as monitored at our automatic monitoring station and 51 diffusion tube monitoring locations, all met the objective of 40 µg/m3.

In the last few years, PM10 readings from the automatic monitoring station indicate that monitored concentrations remain within air quality objectives.

Currently there is no statutory requirement for local authorities to monitor PM2.5 as part of the Local Air Quality Management framework. SHBC will continue to work with neighbouring local authorities, Surrey County Council, and other public agencies to meet PM2.5 long-term targets.

Surrey Heath Borough Council produces Air Quality Annual Status Reports (ASR), which provides an overview of local air quality. The 2023 report can be viewed below.

If you wish to obtain a copy of previous ASR reports, please contact environmental.health@surreyheath.gov.uk. ASRs will be provided in the format submitted and approved by Defra.

Working in partnership to improve air quality

Air pollutants are not static. A large portion of air pollution within Surrey Heath comes from sources outside of the Borough, outside of Surrey and even outside of the UK.

SHBC is working in partnership with other local authorities in Surrey and other agencies, to improve air quality.

• SHBC is an active member of the Surrey Air Alliance, which has representatives from all eleven Surrey District and Borough Councils and Surrey County Council’s Transport Team and Public Health Team. Surrey Air Alliance works with other stakeholders to improve understanding, promote behaviour changes, reduce air pollution impacts through planning and facilitate the transition to low emission transport and infrastructure.
• SHBC is also a member of the Blackwater Valley Group (external link), which has representatives from Rushmoor Borough Council, respective highways authorities of Surrey and Hampshire County Council, with technical and financial support from Defra. Members of the group are working together to reduce roadside nitrogen dioxide concentrations on the A331 between the A31 and M3.