Air Quality Action Plans for Shrewsbury and Bridgnorth

Proposal

Residents and businesses are invited to share their views on the proposed measures to improve air quality in Shrewsbury and Bridgnorth
Shropshire Council is seeking feedback on its Draft Air Quality Action Plans (AQAPs) for Shrewsbury and Bridgnorth, which outline the actions the council will take to meet the air quality objectives and reduce the health impacts of air pollution in the two towns.

The Air Quality Action Plans (AQAPs) were developed following the establishment of Air Quality Management Areas (AQMAs) near Shrewsbury's Railway Station and along Pound Street in Bridgnorth, due to nitrogen dioxide (NO2) levels surpassing national standards.

The draft AQAPs include a summary of:

• The current air quality situation
• Sources of pollution
• An assessment of the reductions required
• Details of the key priorities and actions

The actions cover a range of areas such as traffic management, sustainable transport, public awareness, and planning policies. The draft AQAPs also provide an estimate of the cost and benefit of each proposed measure, as well as the expected timescale for achieving compliance with the air quality objectives.

Shrewsbury

The Shrewsbury draft AQAP mainly considers the predicted effect of existing plans that are either already progressing (e.g. Castle Foregate Gyratory) or plans that have already been approved (e.g. The North West Relief Road), as well as additional actions such as anti-idling measures. The forecast suggests that by undertaking the recommended initiatives, the desired outcomes should be achieved by the year 2025. However, if these actions are not implemented and only national measures are pursued, it is anticipated that compliance will be attained by 2029.

Bridgnorth

The Bridgnorth draft AQAP considers a variety of potential measures for the future, such as removing zebra crossings in certain locations, variable messaging signs, and park and ride schemes. If the measures detailed in the action plan are implemented, it is predicted that the relevant objectives will be achieved by 2027. Without these measures being implemented, it is predicted that the objectives will be achieved by 2028.

The consultation is open to everyone and the council would like to hear the views of the public and local businesses on the draft AQAPs. A hard copy of the draft AQAPs will be made available in the libraries in Shrewsbury and Bridgnorth. The consultation will run until 12th September 2024 and the responses will be summarised and considered before the final AQAPs are adopted by the council.