Air quality meets targets

AIR QUALITY in Dundee has met all of the targets set in the 10 locations where it is measured according to a new report.

Councillors will be told next week that in 2021 less traffic and advice to work from home contributed to positive results in either or both of nitrogen dioxide and particulate matter across the city.

Christina Roberts convener of the council’s community safety and public protection committee said: “Clearly vehicles are the main source of nitrogen dioxide and although particulate matter can be affected by things like weather and come from a number of sources, less traffic equals better air quality.

“Our Air Quality Action Plan (AQAP) contains measures not focussed on specific locations but in combination that will continue to deliver further improvements in air quality across the city.”

Funding of almost £173,000 from the Scottish Government Air Quality Action Plan grant scheme has been secured to help drive forward some of the proposed AQAP measures this financial year.

An update of the existing 2011 The council’s Air Quality Action Plan is being produced to reflect improvements made to the city’s air quality, identify any areas where new actions may be needed, and to ensure it is in line with other environmental improvement work including the Dundee Climate Action Plan, the Sustainable Transport Plan, the Dundee Low Emission Zone scheme and the Scottish Government’s air quality strategy launched last year.

Lynne Short the committee’s deputy convener added: “We are not relying on lockdown and working from home measures to keep pollutants in Dundee within the limits set for it, the report also points to the introduction last month of the Low Emission Zone and measures to retrofit buses with cleaner engines that are now and will continue to have a positive impact on our air quality.”

The community safety and public protection committee meets on Monday (June 13).

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